Staff Reporter
Shillong, Mar. 04: The deficit school teachers of the state are yet to receive their new pay scale as recommended by the Fourth Pay Commission.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, ED Nongsiang, president of the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA), said that they were yet to get their 40 percent arrears even as other employees of the government have already received it.
In this regard, the KJDSTA along with the Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) on Thursday met the state Education Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh.
According to Nongsiang, the talks were inconclusive. “We discussed with the Education Minister about the delay in getting our new pay scale but it was unsatisfactory,” he said. 
However, the Education Minister assured the delegation that she would look into the matter. However, unsatisfied with the assurance of Lyngdoh, the teachers have decided to meet Chief Minister Dr. DD Lapang. 
“We had completed all the formalities from our side but the delay seems to be on the part of the government,” the president said
Nongsiang informed that during their meeting with Lyngdoh, officers from the Education Department were also present. “But we were surprised that the officers could not give any information about the status of the arrears,” he stated.
Meanwhile the general secretary of the KJDSTA said, “There is a general lack of commitment on the part of the government to the cause of the teachers.”
The delegation of teachers who met the Education Minister also urged her to take up the issue of medical reimbursement with the government. According to the KJDSTA, at present they do not receive medical reimbursement nor pension benefits and instead of Gratuity Provident Fund (GPF) they receive Contributory Provident Fund (CPF).
The teachers also said that they were unsure if an education policy for the state exists. “At present, there are too many schools under different categories and there should be a change in policy of labeling schools under different categories,” the association said. “There should be only two categories of schools - government and private,” the teachers asserted.