Meghalaya: Contractual teachers begin hunger strike in Tura

TURA:

Faced with a complete loss of their livelihoods and their jobs, contractual teachers (Upper Primary and Lower Primary) from Garo Hills began their indefinite hunger strike at William Point, Hawakhana in Tura, March 16.

According to the teachers when they were recruited, they had the requisite criteria for the job as was mandated. However, the government decided on the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test exams for all of them, leaving many who had been working for close to a decade in an absolute dilemma.

The move, as per the state government, was an effort to improve the education scenario and to do away with contractual teachers.

It may be mentioned that a chance was given to the contractual teachers through the MTET to retain their services.

However, when the results of the MTET exams were declared, barring a few who were successful, most of the teachers could not clear the exams.

“We demand a special MTET for us, and we should be given multiple chances to clear the said exam. We want the government, especially the Chief Minister, to look into our grievances and take necessary steps so that our future is secure,” said one of the teachers during the strike.

“We urge the government to ensure we can continue our services and we cannot think of an alternate avenue to our lives anymore as most of us are too old to become anything else,” they added.

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)

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