IMPHAL, September 4: The Federation of Government College Teachers`™ Associations, Manipur (FEGOCTA) welcomes the State Level Celebration of Teachers`™ Day by the government on September 5, said a statement of the association.
It said the real honour to the teaching community will be sincerity, implementation of the national education policies and the government acting as an ideal employer.
If the government continues the same extra-ordinary delays and fails to act on issues concerning the teachers, the celebration of teachers`™ day will be yearly ritual. It is an occasion for the teaching community to reflect on their new roles, it said.
After new the higher education policy issued by IV1HRD dated 31-12-2008, the only proper thing ft done is the extension of retirement age, the statement said.
On other crucial issues the government`™s actions are characterized by arbitrary decisions, long delays and lack of transparency in higher education. Therefore FEGOCTA demands that the government takes up immediate steps to release the components of salary SCA & TA, grant one increment in the pre-revised scale, to promote about 350 eligible teachers upto January 2015 due since 2009, fill up vacant posts of librarians and non-teaching staff and expedite pending High Court cases, the statement continued.
No actions to promote/create the posts of Professors as per UGC Regulations, 2010, constitution of State Higher Education Service, increase in the higher education budget, GPF ceiling up Rs 1.78 crore etc are hurting the college teachers and higher education in the state. Those polity, government and society which fail to recognize the importance of higher education and respect the teaching profession have not progressed and have disturbing conditions. Manipur is experiencing such situations. It is the primary responsibility of the government to ensure academic atmosphere and provide modern facilities in the educational institutions in the state, it said.
FEGOCTA condemns the violence in Churachanpur and other places since August 31. In a democratic polity the apprehension, fear and differences should be resolved through dialogue among the stakeholders, the association said.