The ongoing protest by the Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association 2016 batch entered its seventh day on Tuesday, with agitating teachers marching from the Directorate of School Education to the Nagaland Civil Secretariat. The teachers are demanding the implementation of scale pay and full-service benefits, while condemning the state government’s recent transfer orders and ‘No work, no pay’ directive served to six members of the association.
The association has dismissed the government’s clarification issued on September 15, calling it misleading. Association president Imlitemjen criticized the government’s stance, alleging that the teachers were appointed in 2016 without any mention of salary and were forced to sign a bond that was later declared invalid by the court.
He pointed out that, as per the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development guidelines, RMSA teachers were to be appointed on a regular basis and at par with the state cadre. He said necessary clearances had been obtained from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms and Department of Finance, with approval for scale pay granted by the Cabinet Secretariat.
The State government has filed a review petition and is under sub judice. On the review petition filed, Imlitemjen questioned its intent. “What new evidence is the government submitting in the review petition? The only difference is that the teachers will be overage,” he said, adding that some members could retire in just 14 years.
Many organizations, including student bodies, have rallied behind the protesting RMSA teachers. Social activist GB Kahuto Chishi also addressed the rally in solidarity with the teachers.
They have been demanding pay parity with their colleagues appointed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) 2010, 2013 and RMSA 2013 batches, who are already receiving scale pay.
The Lotha HoHo Wokha, in a statement on Monday, expressed “pain over the fates of thousands of students” who are attending classes without teachers in as many as 133 government schools across Nagaland.
It said this prolonged absence of teachers was impacting the academic careers of students at a time when their annual and selection examinations are approaching.
On Sunday, the Ao Students’ Conference served a five-day ultimatum to the state’s school education department, demanding full compliance with court orders to resolve pending matters related to the 2016 batch of RMSA teachers.
Expressing concern over the disruption caused, the student body said the situation has paralysed the functioning of 133 government high schools and affected 367 teachers across the state. It said the disruption of academic activities is “unacceptable.”
With the stalemate deepening, and classroom teaching suspended in over a hundred schools, the impasse threatens to snowball into a full-blown academic crisis unless the state government steps in to break the deadlock.