Against the backdrop of the All Nagaland School Teacher’s Association (ANSTA) and Nagaland Government Higher Secondary Schools’ Employee Association (NGHSSEA) calling for a pen-down strike for non-payment of salaries, it came as no surprise that the Department of School Education is now resorting to dirty tricks to intimidate the teachers in the form of a notification dated 25th September, 2023 laying out Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968.

Year after year government teachers have to beg the state government to release their salaries. Teachers’ agitation have become the order of the day but instead of trying to resolve the issue through meaningful engagement and drastic overhaul of the department, the latest notification ordering the teachers not to make “Any communication with the press” nor “Call a public meeting to discuss their conditions” is highly insensitive and condemnable.

The Directorate of School Education should IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAW the 25th September, 2023, notification. Demanding the release of salaries which is rightly due to the employees of this noble profession is not “PREJUDICIAL TO THE INTEREST AND SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIA” as pointed out by the notification. The RPP demands to know which ‘highly-qualified officer’ in the DoSE felt the need to “Input” this highly objectionable (and laughable) notification subsequently signed by the Principal Director. The absolutely inept, thoroughly unprofessional, highly mismanaged DoSE is now misusing Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968, to strip the teachers of their last dignity, which is uncalled for and unethical.

Is the notification some sort of “Teachers’ Day” award? Has any attempt being made by the DoSE to study and understand “To what extend late/irregular payment of salaries affect the teaching and learning process in government schools? Year after year, the government schools pour out nil results, and yet, when the teachers are harassed non-stop through non-release of salaries, how are they supposed to put their minds and souls into their profession?

The RPP wants to know whether the officers and non-teaching staff of the directorate and district offices get their salaries on time. And if yes, why this step motherly treatment toward the teaching staff? According to sources in the directorate, the teachers not WILL NOT receive salaries for the month of September nor for the next 6 months. The state government is reminded that salary component of government employees is budgeted so the question of salary non-payment does not arise unless it has been siphoned off. In any case it has ample “Discretionary” funds at its disposal. So, what is stopping the state government from paying the salaries of teachers?

The “Dirty tricks” section of the DoSE should understand that there’re legal consequences for delayed/non-payment of salaries and wages, as per the Supreme Court’s observation.

Read more: Nagaland Govt delays teachers’ salaries: ANSTA, NGHSSEA to launch pen-down strike