One lakh students hit by Meghalaya teachers' strike

Over one lakh students across Meghalaya were Wednesday affected by a strike called by school and college teachers protesting the government's unresponsive and "adamant attitude" toward their demands.

"Our three-day strike started today, and has affected over a lakh students from primary school to college level across Meghalaya, mainly due to the unresponsive and adamant attitude of the government by not inviting us for talks," said E.D. Nongsiang, chairman of the Joint Action Committee of All Teachers' Associations of Meghalaya (JACATAM).

The JACATAM is a conglomeration of various school and college teachers' associations, from primary school up to college level, of deficit and ad hoc system institutions.

The teachers have been agitating since Aug 21, seeking an audience with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of education R.C. Laloo to discuss reforms in the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE), regular payment of salaries to teachers and provincialisation of schools.

"The government has forced us to resort to this strike for its double standards. We will intensify our agitation to put pressure on the government to fulfil our demands," Nongsiang told IANS.

Laloo said his doors were always open for the teachers to hold talks. But the deputy chief minister added that he did not believe in giving assurances. Mukul Sangma is yet to comment on the matter.