Warn of agitation from February 26 if demand remains unmet
Government schools across Nagaland are likely to face disruption as 2,293 teachers under the Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA) announced a two-day pen-down strike from February 24 to 25, accusing the department of failing to address their long-pending salary issue.
The association, representing the erstwhile SSA and RMSA 2010 and 2013 batches, said the strike comes after the expiry of a seven-day ultimatum served to the Directorate of School Education (DoSE).
According to the NGTA, its 2,293 members were formally mainstreamed into the State Education Cadre vide an order issued on September 2, 2022, with effect from April 21, 2022, pursuant to Cabinet approval conveyed on April 21, 2022. Despite this, the association said their salaries continue to be drawn under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) funding pattern instead of the appropriate State Account Head applicable on par with other regular State Cadre employees under the School Education department.
The association stated that it has, over the years, submitted several representations and appeals seeking inclusion of their salary component in the State Non-Plan Budget on par with other regular state employees, but claimed that no concrete response has been received.
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On February 16, the NGTA served what it termed a final seven-day ultimatum to the Principal Director of School Education, demanding that their “legitimate demand” be addressed within the stipulated time. It maintained that no action was taken during the ultimatum period.
Alleging the “lackadaisical nature” of the department, the association said it had been compelled to resort to the two-day strike.
The NGTA further warned that if the department fails to address the issue within the strike period, it will have “no option but to stage a peaceful and democratic form of agitation” from February 26 until the demand is met.
