Shillong: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) is escalating its fight against the Meghalaya government regarding the Structured Pay Framework (SPF). Party president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit branded the initiative an anti-teacher, anti-student, and anti-education policy that threatens to gut the teaching profession. He told the media, "Education is a very important issue for the VPP. If we neglect education, we cannot strengthen our society."
Basaiawmoit accused the government of manipulating the public by framing recent salary hikes and scholarships as original achievements. He argued that the administration is ignoring past precedents while exploiting high unemployment rates to force through a substandard pay structure. Under the current rules, the SPF will govern new hires in government and deficit schools from Lower Primary to Higher Secondary levels until the end of the 2027-28 fiscal year.
Teacher unions are pushing back hard. The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) slammed government notifications from August 12 and 19. These orders abolished established sanctioned posts, even those with pending interviews, and moved them into the lower-tier SPF. KJDSTA president Boswell S Pala demanded the immediate withdrawal of the policy, noting that downgrading these roles sets a dangerous precedent.
The Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) joined the opposition. President Dr. Brian Sengsrang Ch Marak labeled the framework a grave injustice that forces teachers into unequal service conditions despite performing identical duties. The mandate, overseen by the Director of School Education and Literacy and the School Education Mission Authority of Meghalaya, remains a major point of contention for the state education sector.
Updated at 10th September 2026 at 2:00pm
Basaiawmoit revealed the party raised the SPF issue directly on the Assembly floor. He warned that the policy risks gutting the quality of the state's teachers, arguing that an inferior pay structure effectively kills the state's ability to attract top-tier talent. He noted that the government's current path treats the state's unemployment crisis as an opportunity to push through lower wages.
Beyond education, the VPP chief slammed the government for what he called a full-blown financial crisis. Basaiawmoit claimed the state has fallen into a debt trap where it must borrow money just to pay off existing loans. He pointed to Comptroller and Auditor General reports as evidence of fiscal mismanagement and hit back at the administration for comparing Meghalaya's economy to larger states, calling such parallels dishonest. He further criticized the Chief Minister for a culture of wasteful spending, specifically citing the habit of distributing checks at public events as if the state treasury were flush with cash.
Updated at 10th September 2026 at 9:46pm
Beyond the ongoing pay dispute, the VPP is now gunning for the top of the Education Department. Basaiawmoit demanded the immediate removal of Vijay Kumar Mantri from his post as Commissioner and Secretary of the Education Department. The party blames Mantri for a series of policies, including school rationalization and shifting service conditions, that they claim ignore local social and geographical realities in favor of raw numerical efficiency.
Basaiawmoit argued that the department has become detached, prioritizing bureaucratic convenience over the needs of teachers and students. He stated that the state needs leadership that respects local circumstances and actually listens to the teaching community rather than treating the education system as a cold administrative exercise.
Updated at 11th September 2026 at 9:47am
Basaiawmoit pushed the attack further on Wednesday, claiming the government is actively diverting funds from one department to another just to keep the lights on. He insisted the state is failing to control costs or bring in enough revenue, calling the current fiscal path a clear failure in governance.
The party specifically called out the state for its refusal to cut unnecessary spending, arguing that officials are in denial about the financial hole they have dug. Basaiawmoit argued that instead of relying on loans, the administration needs to prioritize fiscal discipline and work on boosting the state's own revenue base.
Updated at 12th September 2026 at 1:49am
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui fired back at the VPP demand to oust Education Commissioner Vijay Kumar Mantri. Rymbui defended the officer as a hardworking and accessible hand, asserting that Mantri actively engages with staff and has worked to resolve grievances. The minister noted that Mantri previously met with teachers during their hunger strike to discuss the nascent pay framework and has been instrumental in steering the government's current reforms.
The push to fire the Commissioner also hit a snag from within the teaching community. The Meghalaya Schools Welfare Development Association—Central Body urged Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to reject the VPP demand. Association president H.M. Marbaniang warned that turning policy disagreements into a personal crusade against an official is the wrong path, calling instead for open dialogue to bridge gaps. While the group supports the State Pay Framework for new recruitment to standardize the system, they insisted that existing teachers in Deficit Grant-in-Aid roles must keep their current pay and service protections.
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