Shillong, Oct 16: Teachers of deficit schools in the state under the banner of the Khasi-Jaiñtia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) hailed the Meghalaya High Court verdict that directed the state government to extend pension benefits to teachers of government-aided schools and colleges in the state.

KJDSTA president, ED Nongsiang told reporters on Tuesday that state government should implement the court’s direction for the benefits of the teachers.

While disposing of a writ petition filed by the Greater Phulbari Area Deficit School, the High Court in its ruling passed on October 11 asked the Meghalaya government to make rules for extending pension and other benefits to teachers of government-aided schools and colleges and ensure that the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission is implemented in letter and spirit.

Nongsiang said that the Fifth Pay Commission had also recommended the state government for extending pension benefits to the adhoc and deficit school and college teachers in the state.

According to him, the deficit teachers at present did not get pension benefits except contributory provident fund (CPF) and Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DRG).

“However, adhoc teachers are not even entitled for CPF and DRG,” he said.

Nongsiang also expressed the association’s appreciation to the state government for implementing the new pay revision for deficit school teachers in the state.

“Unlike previous years, this time we are grateful to the government as we do not have to go to the streets to demand the benefits of the fifth pay commission. We are thankful to the chief minister and education minister,” he said.

The KJDSTA is also studying the draft Meghalaya Aided Secondary and Higher Secondary School Employees Service Rules before submitting views and suggestions to the state government.

For the past 47 years, teachers of adhoc and deficit schools were working without any service rules.

“Due to this, service rules were implemented by the school managing committees but the disadvantaged was that, there was no uniformity,” he said.

Meanwhile Nongsiang urged the state government to come up with an action plan to ensure that students benefited from the state education policy which was approved by the state cabinet recently.

“A policy is supposed to be a guiding factor, but unless an action plan is in place, the objective will not be achieved,” Nongsiang said.