SHILLONG, NOV 9: The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) on Monday announced an indefinite strike from November 11, over long-pending demands, including non-payment of salaries, dearness allowance arrears and non-implementation of pension and service benefits.
Addressing a press conference, KJDSTA president Boswell Pala said the decision was taken at the association’s annual general meeting held on November 7.
“From the KJDSTA, the issues of the association are still pending,” Pala said. “There is the non-implementation of centralised provident fund, NPS, the non-implementation of Scheme 2023, the revocation of Scheme 2026, the non-implementation of the CPF contribution of 10 per cent of our salary, and MACPS is another issue.”
He said the association is also deeply worried about the government’s alleged attempt to push the Special Provident Fund (SPF) into deficit posts and convert deficit posts into composite grant posts.
“Very worrying is also the fact that there are schools that are not advertising the deficit posts,” he said.
Pala said teachers have not received their salaries even though it is already November 9.
“For your information, even our salary today is the 9th of November, and we don’t hear anything. There is no news about our salary, and it is like a joke now,” he said.
He said the Education Department had, in a letter dated October 8, 2026, assured that the DA enhancement of 51 per cent and 53 per cent, including arrears, would be released before the Puja holidays.
“The Puja holidays are over, and we have not got them,” Pala said. “On the 1st of November, the officials in the Education Department pretended as though they did not know what to do regarding the enhancement of the DA, which is very, very worrying.”
He accused the government of delaying the teachers’ dues through repeated assurances.
“I want to press on this, that there is this continuation of manipulation, lies and bluff from time to time,” Pala said. “When we talk, even the letter that we got on the 8th of October said that we should engage in dialogue. We participated, because it seems that dialogue has become an excuse for the delay and denial of our rights.”
“Therefore, because of these long-pending issues that are affecting us today, through you, we announce that the deficit teachers and employees of the KJDSTA will go on an indefinite strike from the 11th of November 2026,” he said.
Pala appealed to students, parents and school managements to understand the teachers’ compulsion.
“Through this press conference, we would like to appeal to students and their parents to please understand us, understand our issues, and bear with us,” he said. “To the management also, please understand and bear with us. It is not an easy thing for us. It is not out of pleasure that we are announcing that we will go on an indefinite strike. It is with deep, deep pain.”
He said the agitation is not only for present teachers but also for students and aspiring teachers.
“Be assured that when we agitate, we also agitate for the sake of our present students, for the sake of our future students,” Pala said. “We want the deficit posts to be safe and secure, to remain deficit, and if they have to evolve, they have to evolve into something better.”
“We are agitating for education as a whole in Meghalaya,” he added. “To our friends, relatives, and society, we ask you to please support us.”
Responding to criticism of the strike, Pala asked what other option the teachers had left.
“And to those who say that we should not agitate, we ask you, what option do you have? What option should we take so that we will get our dues and our rights?” he asked.
“It is not just a question of the issues of deficit teachers and employees. It is also a question of right and wrong,” he said. “Should we, the deficit teachers and employees, when we have long been denied our rights, our dues, and arrears, just keep quiet and accept this injustice because it will have some negative impact somewhere?”
He invited critics to seek information about the teachers’ issues.
“And to those who criticize our agitation, maybe because you do not know or understand our issues, please, we are always available for information, for enlightening you regarding our issues,” Pala said. “Something very bad is going on with our education. Something very bad is happening to the deficit system, to the deficit teachers and employees.”
Pala accused the government of presenting a false picture of the education sector.
“I am so sorry to say that the government is wearing a facade and it says that we have to care about certain things connected with education and so on, and thereby hurting us, the deficit teachers and employees, including the future deficit teachers and employees,” he said.
“I request you to peel off that facade and you will see the real picture of what is happening in our education, what is happening to us, the deficit teachers and employees, and you will be able to see the real picture of what is going to happen even in the future to our education,” he added.
By Our Reporter
