Education is seen as one of the most vital sector of human activity and therefore it is only to be expected that government programmes for this sector gets a lion’s share of budgetary allocation. The latest Budget presented by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has naturally allocated sufficient funds for education. Besides this, major funds are also allocated through the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. In fact there are huge sums of money available to fund school education both at the elementary and secondary level. At present the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) has been clubbed with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikshan Abhiyan, which addresses secondary education, is also another flagship education scheme. Given the prominence of education as seen by the priority in government spending, it is only appropriate that the governance structure is strong and efficient to absorb and deliver the resources available to the people for whom it is meant. Nagaland’s own School Education Department is in need of a major overhaul. Years of corruption and illegality within the Department has taken its toll on the system. Today it is in a state of distress so much so that one would doubt whether it will be capable to provide the right kind of leadership and support to the very important education agenda of the future. The time to rebuild is now.
In fact allegations of corruption, misuse of funds and lack of improvement in activities and functioning within the School Education department continue to make news. The latest Budget session has witnessed the Opposition Congress trying to corner the School Education Minister and demanding his resignation. Whether the resignation of the Minister will solve the headache nigh chronic disease of the department, it is unlikely. Rather the Opposition Congress should offer some concrete suggestions to improve and reform the running of the Department. Our political class should realize that not just individual departments but the larger system itself will need to change if we want to see improvement of governance. While the Chief Minister is right about the numerous problems of the School Education Department including more than 200 court cases besides the bogus and ghost employees, one will have to ask this question as to how the department has landed in such a big mess. Politicians cannot merely blame the bureaucrats for all the ills within the system. If at all, it is the politicians who should take a major share of the blame.
For some years now, the argument is being put forth that the government is in the process of streamlining the school education department. Let us hope that the reform process is on track. For now we give the benefit of doubt to what the Chief Minister has assured on the floor of the house i.e. streamlining the education department. Let us hope this happens so that we are better prepared to do the right thing in meeting the challenges that lies ahead. And it is in this regard that we note with encouragement, the earlier commitment made a few years back at the conference of Village Development Boards and Communitization by its functionaries on the issue of quality education. Some of the noteworthy points include the resolve not to allow any proxy teachers, preference being given to trained persons for appointment in schools, ensuring adequate teachers and redeployment of excess teachers and lastly that teachers shall stay in their place of posting. Whether we are implementing the resolve made to reform the system, it is time to stop subverting the system by whoever it may be. Let the rule of law prevail. Let us put an end to illegality and manipulation. For starters, the government should ensure strict compliance as far as its policy of redeployment goes and also implementing a transparent, rule based and quality based recruitment process.
In fact allegations of corruption, misuse of funds and lack of improvement in activities and functioning within the School Education department continue to make news. The latest Budget session has witnessed the Opposition Congress trying to corner the School Education Minister and demanding his resignation. Whether the resignation of the Minister will solve the headache nigh chronic disease of the department, it is unlikely. Rather the Opposition Congress should offer some concrete suggestions to improve and reform the running of the Department. Our political class should realize that not just individual departments but the larger system itself will need to change if we want to see improvement of governance. While the Chief Minister is right about the numerous problems of the School Education Department including more than 200 court cases besides the bogus and ghost employees, one will have to ask this question as to how the department has landed in such a big mess. Politicians cannot merely blame the bureaucrats for all the ills within the system. If at all, it is the politicians who should take a major share of the blame.
For some years now, the argument is being put forth that the government is in the process of streamlining the school education department. Let us hope that the reform process is on track. For now we give the benefit of doubt to what the Chief Minister has assured on the floor of the house i.e. streamlining the education department. Let us hope this happens so that we are better prepared to do the right thing in meeting the challenges that lies ahead. And it is in this regard that we note with encouragement, the earlier commitment made a few years back at the conference of Village Development Boards and Communitization by its functionaries on the issue of quality education. Some of the noteworthy points include the resolve not to allow any proxy teachers, preference being given to trained persons for appointment in schools, ensuring adequate teachers and redeployment of excess teachers and lastly that teachers shall stay in their place of posting. Whether we are implementing the resolve made to reform the system, it is time to stop subverting the system by whoever it may be. Let the rule of law prevail. Let us put an end to illegality and manipulation. For starters, the government should ensure strict compliance as far as its policy of redeployment goes and also implementing a transparent, rule based and quality based recruitment process.
