ZEO offices in different districts locked down by SSA & RMSA teachers
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukl/Kak/Tbl, February 08 2019: Office of ZEO Ukhrul which has been shut down for at least five days affected normal functioning of the education department at Ukhrul town and witnessed grinding halt of its operation.

According to the protestors (SSA/RMSA teachers), they have launched their agitation by enforcing indefinite shut down of Zonal Education office since February 4 .

They held regular sit-in protest at the front gate of the office for 2-3 hours to put pressure on the State Govt to release their pending salaries for seven months and to absorb them in the State education department.

Even though, the District Zonal Education Officer visited and met them informally in different occassion, they restricted him from attending the office so far.

The agitating teachers lamented the indifferent attitude of Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul and the police department adding that they did not pay any heed or remain unaware of the situation which has resulted the ZEO office being paralyzed for these njany days, although the office is located just about 200 metres away from the DC office complex, Ukhrul.

Speaking at the sidelines of the sit in protest, convener Ngalengpam Ruivah expressed that SSA & RMSA teachers have shut down the ZEO office for indefinite period of time and will continue to do so until their demands are fulfilled.

Even though, they had approached the State Government many times and have highlighted the issues and the problem faced by the teachers, they did not receive any positive response, he added.

He mentioned that in the last meeting with the education minister, it was accepted that separate categorisation of posts will be arranged for the regularly appointed SSA/RMSA teachers by merging with similar categories of posts in other department and to pay their salary from the consolidated fund of the State.

The public of Ukhrul town urged the concerned authority to intervene so that the grievances of the agitating (SSA/RMSA) teachers can be addressed at the earliest.

Kakching: As part of the ongoing agitation spearheaded by the teachers of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) demanding to release their long pending salaries, office of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Kakching was locked down by the agitating teachers today.

Scores of teachers of Joint SSA and RMSA Teachers' Association, Kakching Zone under the supervision of Joint SSA and RMSA Teachers' Association, Manipur have descended to the ZEO, Kakching office at around 11 am and locked down the office.

Speaking to the media persons, executive member, Joint SSA and RMSA Teachers' Association, Kakching Zone, Jotin said that many teachers who were selected in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016 for SSA and RMSA on regular basis are facing untold miseries due to irregular pay for the last 8 to 9 years.

Though the teachers were finding difficulty to meet their ends due to irregular pay out of salary (which is given twice in a year or thrice in some year just like installment basis), they continued to discharge their duty in the interest of the students, he said and added that they are now run of patience and took this (lock down of ZEO office) to voice their grievances.

Thoubal: Meanwhile, supporting the ongoing cease work strike of SSA and RMSA teachers under Joint SSA and RMSA Teachers' Association Manipur with various demands since February 4, numerous teachers of Thoubal district also locked down office of ZEO, zone-Ill, Thoubal and staged sit-in protest in front of the ZEO office today.

One of the agitating teachers, while speaking to the media persons, said that about 3500 teachers under Joint SSA and RMSA Teachers' Association, Manipur launched cease work strike since February 4 as the State Govt is not willing to lend ears to the grievances of the teachers adding that their stir has entered four days.

All the teachers of SSA and RMSA today descended to the office to voice out their dissent in a democratic way after the State Govt continues to ignore their problems, the teacher added.

Placards which read as "We are not robot", "We want respect not suppression", "Equal work equal status", "We too have families", "Don't betray the builders of the nation", "No pay no work" and "Stop discriminating SSA and RMSA Teachers" were used during the sit-in protest.

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