Teachers to continue stir despite Minister's assurance
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 20 2014 :
Even though the Education Minister M Okendro assured agitating elementary school teachers that their demands would be discussed in tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, All Manipur Elementary School Teachers' Association (Amesta) asserted that till a definite decision has been announced by the Government of Manipur their agitation will continue.
The Minister who showed up at the AMESTA agitation site near Khoyathong Pukhri Achouba today said that he would highlight the demand for 'requisite qualification scale' and pending salary of over a year and half in tomorrow's Cabinet meeting.
Okendro also stated that the Government of Manipur understands grievances of the teachers in addition to affirming that the Government will never betray or compromise with interest of the teacher community.
Speaking to newspersons after the Minister left, AMESTA general secretary Shantakumar Singh hailing the Minister's gesture and for inquiring on the teachers' agitation, which completed a week today, however asserted that if the Government do not take positive steps to redress grievances of the elementary school teachers then the earlier AMESTA decision to launch intense agitation will not be reversed.
As had been already resolved, AMESTA members will join relay hunger strike from tomorrow at the Khoyathong venue from 10 am, the secretary maintained adding that if the Cabinet decides in favour of the teachers then the ongoing agitation would be called off.