Shillong, May 4: The education department has invited the agitating teachers of non-government schools and colleges across the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, the department said that as the government remains committed to addressing the concerns of all stakeholders in a constructive manner, the Education Department has invited representatives of the concerned organisations for a meeting to better understand their issues and explore possible resolutions. The meeting is scheduled to be held on May 6 at 3 pm in the Main Conference Hall, Secretariat.
According to the statement, the government notified the “Meghalaya Non-Government School and College Employees Centralised Provident Fund Scheme, 2026” with the objective of ensuring long-term financial security and social protection for more than 30,000 employees of non-government schools and colleges across the State.
The scheme represents a significant and progressive reform in the education sector, as it extends structured provident fund and pension benefits to a wide spectrum of employees, including deficit teachers and lecturers, adhoc teachers, SSA and RMSA teachers, Hindi and science grant teachers, pre-primary teachers, as well as various categories of non-teaching staff. By bringing all such categories under a unified and professionally managed framework, the scheme aims to promote equity, transparency and sustainability.
A large number of employees have responded positively to the scheme, and the process of opening Permanent Retirement Account Numbers (PRANs) has already commenced in several parts of the state.
At the same time, concerns have been expressed by certain sections of employees, particularly among deficit institutions. The matter is currently sub judice before the High Court of Meghalaya, and the Government has already placed the notified scheme before the court and is awaiting its decision.
Earlier in the day, the stakeholders organised a poster campaign to urge the government to grant their rights.
Their demand is NPS Pension Scheme for those who joined after 2010 and CPF Pension Scheme (Draft Pension Fund 2023 as mutually agreed upon) for those who joined before 2010 and withdrawal of the announced Pension Fund Scheme 2026
“As law abiding citizens we request the Government to abide by the orders of the Court. We remain committed to the cause and since the matter is sub-judice we affirm our belief in the judiciary”, the teachers said.
