LMRSU pauses phase-II agitation, warns of fresh stir

DIMAPUR, NOV 10 (NPN): Lotha Middle Range Students’ Union (LMRSU) has decided to pause its phase-II agitation over staff shortages at Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Sungro, in view of the ongoing examinations. However, the union warned that phase-III agitation would be launched if the department failed to meet its minimum demands without further delay.
In a press release, LMRSU president Rhonbemo Murry and general secretary Renvungo Jami expressed strong dissatisfaction and resentment over the outcome of the November 9 meeting held in the office chamber of the principal director of school education.
The union said the department’s decisions, including the temporary arrangement of one PGT (political science) against a maternity leave vacancy, the direction for a PGT English teacher to rejoin on November 10, and the proposed deployment of one graduate teacher (general) during the forthcoming rationalisation exercise, were inadequate to address the shortage of teachers at GHSS Sungro.
LMRSU also criticised the district and school representatives for accepting what it described as an unsatisfactory outcome of the meeting.
The union had earlier launched its agitation by closing government schools in the Lotha Middle Range area and the office of the sub-divisional education officer (SDEO) Sanis, over the shortage of staff at GHSS Sungro.
Reiterating its minimum demands, the union called for appointment of two additional GT (General) and one Hindi GT, besides the release of the lower division assistant (LDA) attached to the DEO office, Wokha, to enable the staff member to join GHSS Sungro.
The union said it was pausing the second phase of its agitation in view of the ongoing examinations. However, it cautioned that any further delay in meeting its demands would compel it to launch phase-III of the agitation.
Meanwhile, LMRSU also took exception to a reported November 10 remark by the principal director that he did not acknowledge civil society organisations (CSOs), and that the issue had arisen from a communication gap between the district and the directorate. The union urged the principal director to withdraw the remark and take concrete steps to address the school’s staffing requirements.