Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urges patience as 1,166 ad hoc teachers continue hunger strike, saying regularisation process is under government scrutiny.
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DIMAPUR — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday asked the 1,166 ad hoc teachers of the 2015 batch, who are on hunger strike in Kohima seeking regularisation, to remain patient as the government scrutinises the matter.
Speaking to media persons, Rio said the government is fully aware of the situation and that the concerns raised by the teachers are being carefully examined.
He emphasised that the government has not abandoned them but said due process must be followed before any decision is finalised.
Meanwhile, Advisor for School Education and SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, said the department has completed its part of the process and that the matter is now with the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR), whose decision will be forwarded to the government for further action.
Also read: Nagaland: Hunger strike by ad hoc teachers continues as government response awaited
He said financial concurrence is required from the Finance department, while service-related matters must be cleared by P&AR. From the School Education department’s side, he said all necessary steps have been completed and the proposal has been submitted to P&AR for further action.
Yhome added that the agitated teachers have been requested not to resort to protest, stating that while the department supports them, agitations create unnecessary pressure.
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Responding to queries regarding the delay, he said it is the government’s responsibility to take care of its teachers, noting that many of them were recruited through different systems over the years which the department has inherited. Each case, he said, has been examined individually.
Expressing empathy for the teachers, he said many have been working without job security or dignity due to the manner of their recruitment.
With four categories of teachers —regular, scheme-based, contractual and fixed-pay—disparities exist within the system, he said and observed that often those without secure jobs are the most sincere.
The advisor assured that the government is in talks to resolve the matter but procedural steps take time. He also urged teachers to return to schools as the academic session begins and appealed for patience while the government works towards a solution.
On a separate query regarding allegations that some schools are charging between INR 2,000 and INR 5,000 for issuing admit cards, Yhome said such charges are not part of the system and are not right. He said that if schools are found to be charging money for admit cards, action would be taken as per the law.
When asked whether more non-functional government schools would be shut down, he said decisions would be taken purely on necessity. If a school has no students, closure or merger may be unavoidable, he said.
Yhome added that the department is currently rationalising schools, including merging institutions in larger villages, while ensuring access to education in areas where the private sector cannot reach.