KOHIMA, MARCH 7 (MExN): The All Nagaland School Teachers Association has written to the Commissioner and Secretary, School Education and SCERT, appealing for the release of pending salaries to teachers appointed under Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the Department of School Education.
ANSTA informed that, as per available record, about 2730 teachers were appointed under SSA, 300 plus teachers appointed as Special Education Teachers under IEDSS and 1379 Hindi teachers have been so far appointed under the said schemes. It lamented that SSA teachers have not been paid for the last four months (November to February 2014), Special Education Teachers have been paid up to August 2013 only and Hindi teachers have not been paid for the last three months.
The Association stated that the nonpayment of salaries would be counterproductive to the teaching-learning process.
Keeping in view the funding pattern of the MHRD/central government (which releases funds on installment basis), the association requested the state government to release the pending salaries from the state fund/budget, which may be recovered later, as and when the centre releases its share. It also appealed for the state government to deposit its share of 10 percent early, as the centre will not release its 90 percent share before the state’s share is deposited.
It demanded that the salary components and allowances of teachers should not be diverted under any circumstances and that the amount being sanctioned for the salary of teachers should be used judiciously for that purpose alone. ANSTA urged the authority to deposit the whole components of fund being earmarked for teacher’s salary to the account of the School Education department at one go, unlike the present practice of crediting only for a particular month.
ANSTA then questioned the credibility of the appointing agency and queried, “If it is not in a position to pay the salary of teachers, why they had been appointed to suffer for months together?”
Expressing frustration at the current situation, ANSTA stated that “when the salary - the basic necessity of its members is not paid for months together, then the question of survival of teachers (the so called nation builders) does not arise.”
It therefore urged the Government to consider the genuineness of the issue by finding ways and means for early dispersing of pending salaries. If not, the association cautioned, that it may be compelled “to take the hardest step against the government, in which the concerned authority shall be held solely responsibility for any untoward incident.”
ANSTA informed that this was “unanimously decided” in the joint meeting with aggrieved teachers on January 28 and “strongly reaffirmed” on March 6 at the executive body meeting held at Kohima.
ASSATA to boycott classes
The All Nagaland SSA Teachers Association (ANSSATA) has decided to boycott classes due to the failure of the concerned authorities to act on the memorandum submitted on January 30, 2014, with regard to the nonpayment of salaries (from November to February 2013) and arrears of 2013. A press note from the Association informed that the boycott will begin from March 10 and continue till March 22. The Association has demanded for the payment of all pending salaries and arrears, treatment of SSA teachers of 2010 and 2013 batches as regular government employees and not as any other flagship programme, salaries for SSA teachers (2010-2013) to be made from the non plan revenue expenditure and that new appointments/filling up of posts of retiring state government teachers be stopped till SSA teachers (2010-2013) are absorbed first under the said category. It asserted that the boycott will continue till all of its demands are met with. The ANSSATA has appealed for all student bodies and NGOs to extend their support and intervene in the matter to bring about a favorable solution.
The All Nagaland SSA Teachers Association (ANSSATA) has decided to boycott classes due to the failure of the concerned authorities to act on the memorandum submitted on January 30, 2014, with regard to the nonpayment of salaries (from November to February 2013) and arrears of 2013. A press note from the Association informed that the boycott will begin from March 10 and continue till March 22. The Association has demanded for the payment of all pending salaries and arrears, treatment of SSA teachers of 2010 and 2013 batches as regular government employees and not as any other flagship programme, salaries for SSA teachers (2010-2013) to be made from the non plan revenue expenditure and that new appointments/filling up of posts of retiring state government teachers be stopped till SSA teachers (2010-2013) are absorbed first under the said category. It asserted that the boycott will continue till all of its demands are met with. The ANSSATA has appealed for all student bodies and NGOs to extend their support and intervene in the matter to bring about a favorable solution.
