Editor,

I wish to draw the urgent attention of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh to the plight of Mukhya Mantri Shiksha Kosh Yojana (MMSKY) guest teachers, who are presently facing severe financial hardship due to the non-release of their remuneration for the past two months.

Teachers are expected to ensure that students attend school, lessons are delivered, examinations are conducted, and academic responsibilities are fulfilled without interruption. We have continued to perform these duties sincerely despite the uncertainty surrounding our own financial situation. However, two months without remuneration is no longer merely an administrative delay - it has become a serious livelihood concern for many teachers.

The hardship is particularly acute for those posted in remote and difficult areas of Arunachal. Many guest teachers have to live away from their families and bear expenses for rent, food, transportation, and other basic necessities. In several remote postings, even travelling to and from the workplace involves considerable time and expense. When remuneration is delayed, these teachers are left struggling to meet even their routine financial commitments.

It is important to remember that behind every pending payment is a teacher with a family, responsibilities, and financial obligations. Guest teachers may not enjoy the same degree of job security as regular employees, but their responsibilities inside the classroom are no less important. Students in government schools, particularly in remote areas, deserve continuity and committed teachers - and those teachers, in turn, deserve timely payment for the service they provide.

We therefore make a sincere and urgent appeal to the chief minister and the authorities concerned to intervene personally and ensure immediate release of the pending two months' remuneration of MMSKY guest teachers. We also request the authorities to establish a mechanism for timely and predictable disbursement of remuneration, so that such delays do not repeatedly place teachers and their families under financial distress.

The contribution of guest teachers to the state's school education system should not be overlooked simply because their engagement is contractual or scheme-based. A teacher standing in a classroom in a remote corner of Arunachal is serving the same children and carrying the same responsibility of shaping their future.

We have continued to serve our students despite financial uncertainty. We now appeal to the government to stand by its teachers and address this issue without further delay.

Two months' remuneration may be an accounting figure in an official file, but for a teacher posted in a remote area, it can mean two months of rent, food, transportation, family expenses, and basic dignity.

We sincerely hope that the government will treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and ensure that the pending payment is released at the earliest.

MMSKY guest teacher