The protesting All Nagaland Ad-hoc Teachers Group (ANATG) 2015 batch continued their agitation outside the Nagaland Civil Secretariat at Kohima on 28 September 2022. The rainy conditions did not deter the teachers from showing up; instead, the stir gained more supporters.
The Northern Angami Youth Organisation (NAYO) came out in support and in solidarity with the aggrieved teachers. The Rising People’s Party also backed the protest and encouraged the protestors to remain steadfast until its demand was fulfilled.
The teachers are demanding for regularisation of their services to which the government had
replied coldly. School Education Principal Director Thavaseelan K had even warned the teachers with disciplinary actions if they fail to resume their “normal duties”.
On Day 3 of the protest, ANATG 2015 batch spokesperson Bendang Ozukum, called the reply from the government “ridiculous”. He questioned if the Standing Order of the of Hon’ble High Court applied only for the 1166 ANATG 2015 batch teachers as regularisation of services were evidently taking place in other departments.
The teachers ask: Is the High Court’s standing order applied only for the ANATG 2015 batch teachers?
It may be mentioned that 82 casual typists under Home Department were regularized on 11 September 2018 and 10 Grade-III and Grade-IV employees serving against sanctioned posts under Directorate of Youth Resources and Sports were regularized on 29 January 2019, copies of which are available with Nagaland Tribune.
NAYO President, Roko Angami, speaking to media persons at the protest said it was disheartening to see the teachers suffer due to discrepancies and lopsided attitude of the state government and the concerned department. He added that NAYO would not be silent spectators when the very foundation of the children’s education is being threatened.
Roko Angami, President NAYO, showing support to ANATG-2015 batch in Kohima.
The Rising People’s Party claimed that Ad-hoc teachers were not included in the ACAUT/PSAN litigation filed before the High Court, case no. 145 (K) 2017, Grade-III case. “The litigation only pertained to those posts falling under the purview of NPSC which were filled up through backdoor, that is, without examination being conducted.”
The party accused the “state’s dirtiest department” of giving excuses and that the government lacked “good counsel”.
It questioned the regularisation policies of Department of School Education (DoSE) as, the party claimed, just this month (September), services of 2290 Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers of 2010 and 2013 batches were regularised.
