Teachers’ service: Needs political will

SHILLONG, AUG 11: The Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Associations of Meghalaya (JACATAM) on Monday  said the much-demanded ‘provincialisation of services of schoolteachers’ in the state totally depends on the ‘political-will’ of the state government following the report on the comparative study submitted by the education department.

“It will totally depend on the political will of the government to provincialise the services of the teachers in the state since the issue now is at the level of the policy makers,” JACATAM chairman ED Nongsiang told reporters at a news conference on Monday.

In the absence of proper service rules for the teachers, the JACATAM for the past two years has been demanding the need to provincialise the services of the teachers teaching in the schools falling under the deficit system, deficit pattern and ad hoc system.

Based on this demand, the education department through the Director of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) took up a comparative study in other states – Tamil Nadu, Goa, Assam and Sikkim- to get clarity on the issue relating to provincialisation.

The comparative study was undertaken after the education department said it is ignorant of the system which the teachers are demanding.

“The report of the comparative study entitled as the ‘status of action taken report on demands of teachers (JACATAM) was submitted to the government on June 16,” Nongsiang informed.

According to the report, it has clearly indicated that all the four states (Tamil Nadu, Goa, Assam and Sikkim) have similar patterns where there are only three types of schools – government schools, government aided schools (or provincialise) and self-finance (private) schools, Nongsiang said.

Nongsiang said, “These schools in other states, except the private schools, are all taken care of and under the control of their respective state governments in term of the services of the teachers and management bodies.”

Nongsiang informed that 90 per cent of the schools in neigbouring state of Assam are under the control of the state government right from building infrastructures, teachers’ salary and administration.  The categories of schools in Assam are government run schools, provincialise schools and private schools.

According to Nongsiang, unlike in other states the system in Meghalaya is very confusing because of many categories of schools which often lead to discrimination against the teachers doing the same job but unequal payment.

“The report submitted by the education department is quite similar to the system what the teachers in Meghalaya are demanding which the department earlier had claimed it is difficult to understand,” Nongsiang added.

Nongsiang also said by provincialising the services of the teachers, they want to do away with this present discrimination and categorization against services of the teachers. He added, “With such system in place, there will be equal pay for equal work.”

According to Nongsiang becayse of absence of proper service rules framed by government, the teachers have to depend on the self-made rules of their respective school managing committees (SMCs).

“Such problems sometimes forced talented teachers to opt for better opportunity since there is no sense of security of sticking to teaching profession and in turn it only affects the students’ community,” Nongsiang argued.

Highlighting more on the positive aspects of the demand, Nongsiang said, “Moreover, the provincialization will also allow the government to regulate the school fees as now the schools are at their liberty to put exorbitant fees.”

Meanwhile, Nongsiang said to implement this system the cabinet must decide as the report is already place before it for consideration.  He also revealed that as per information, the education department has also undertaken an initial estimate on the amount required if at all the system demanded is to be implemented.- By Our Reporter