Newmai News Network Aizawl | July 2 The Mizoram Government Aided School Association (MIGASA), an umbrella body of private teachers working in government lump-sum grant-in-aid high schools and middle schools, has threatened to stage indefinite strike and observe “no teaching days” if the state government fails to meet their demands of upgrading lump-sum grant-in-aid schools to adhoc status within this month. MIGASA president, C. Lalnghaizuala told a press conference on Monday that the association had made repeated appeals to the state government to upgrade the schools but to no avail. He also said that there are 61 lump-sum grant-in-aid high schools and middle schools across the state. He added that indefinite strike will affect over 3,000 students. According to C. Lalnghaizuala , the lump-sum grant-in-aid schools were established in 2001 and initially there were about 82 schools including 12 higher secondary schools under MIGASA. He also said that some of the schools have been closed down by the state government due to certain reasons. "The government gave financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh each for higher secondary schools and Rs 1.2 lakh each for high schools and middle schools annually, he added. “We have been demanding better working condition by upgrading our schools to adhoc grant-in-aid status for the past 10 years but the government has done nothing to meet our demands. We asked the government to upgrade 61 lump-sum grant-in-aid schools to adhoc status,” the MIGASA president stated. . Lalnghaizuala then said that “no teaching days” and "indefinite closure of schools" will be observed from August if the government fails to give any positive response and upgrade the schools to adhoc status within July. There are more than 300 teachers under the association, according to Lalnghaizuala. Though the strike will affect over 3,000 students across the state, they were left with no other alternative but resort to strike, Lalnghaizuala explained. He further said that the association has extended support to the indefinite closure of schools called by Mizoram Government Lump-sum Grant in Aid Higher Secondary School Association (MIGLAHSSA). Nine lump-sum grant-in-aid higher secondary schools under the aegis of MIGLAHSSA have been observing indefinite strike since June 18 demanding adhoc status. Last week, students belonging to some schools of the protesting nine schools staged a protest rally demonstrating their desire to resume classes. They also demanded the state government to immediately meet the demands of MIGLAHSSA so the schools return to normalcy.
