Dimapur, Nov 21 (MExN): Minister for School and Technical Education, Imkong L Imchen today in a telephonic conversation with The Morung Express, appealed to the All Nagaland School Teachers Association (ANSTA) to call off the proposed mass agitation in the interest of schoolchildren.
The Minister said that the department had deliberated thoroughly the charter of demands and had addressed it ‘one by one.’ The Minister however informed that the department had some problem regarding the ACP and therefore the matter has been forwarded to the finance department. He further urged the ANSTA members to call off their proposed agitation saying that they are the masters of the children, and that if the masters’ only talk of agitation then the minds of the children would also be influenced negatively.
Imchen also said that although the department has got some rights and powers to act against the ANSTA who are in fact government employees, so far they have been only using the tool of ‘persuasion and request’ to solve the matter.
On the Longleng issue, the Minister declined to comment anything saying that the matter is ‘very serious’. The minister nevertheless assured that the matter is under investigation which is still going on. He further asked all sections of the society to extend its support to the department to solve the matter amicably.
On the bogus appointments issue, the Minister disclosed that some new cases have also been unearthed and that they have been terminated like before. He however declined to name the number of the latest bogus appointment cases, on the ground of ‘hampering the investigation process.’
Meanwhile, the Minister has clarified that his speech during the School Education Conference on November 15 at Dimapur was misquoted by this paper and said that he actually meant to say that although the department has no intention to punish anyone, yet it (the punishment) could not be avoided.
Imchen said that the department under him has ‘the full commitment to root out the bogus appointment issue and cleanse the department once for all’. On being asked why it took so long to react to the news item, the Minister said that he was away and could not read the newspaper.
