Teachers’ salary raise to go to the cabinet

***SSA teachers meeting the Meghalaya Education Minister, Prof RC Laloo at his office chambers on Tuesday***

SHILLONG, JULY 19: State Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Education Roytre C Laloo on Tuesday said the department will soon put before the cabinet the recent approval of MHRD’s Project Approval Board (PAB) on enhancement of SSA schoolteachers’ salary.

A delegation of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) met him to seek clarification on the amount sanction and approved by the PAD in respect to the salary enhancement of lower primary and upper primary teachers under SSA schools.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MSSASA working president Aristole C Rymbai said, “He (Laloo) informed that the department is still in the process of putting the matter (amount for enhancement) up with the state cabinet.”

He also added, “The deputy chief minister assured us that the enhancement of salary will be effective within this financial year.”

The MSSASA had been demanding enhancement of salary from Rs 9200 to Rs 30,000 for LP teachers and Rs 9900 to Rs 35,000 for UP teachers.

According to them, there are over 12,481 teachers working in different SSA schools across the state.

When sought for further clarification on the matter, the deputy chief minister said, “The matter relating to enhancement of salary of SSA teachers will first have to go to the planning and finance department because it is a 90:10 scheme.”

“Since 10 per cent share is from the state government, which is yet to be approved, we cannot say at the moment,” he said.

With regards to the demand for service regularization, MSSASA working president said, “According to the deputy chief minister, the department will have to examine and study the qualification of the teachers.”

When asked, he said that the qualification of teachers will have to be as per NCTE norms in which LP teachers should passed class XII with 45% aggregate and having completed Diploma in Elementary Education (DL.ED) and degree along with 45% aggregate and DL.ED for UP teachers.

“We have also urged the government to consider deputing more SSA teachers for diploma in elementary education courses,” Rymbai said while informing that at present around 6000 SSA teachers have so far completed the diploma course.-By Our Reporter