Chizokho Vero
October 18
KOHIMA (MExN): In a significant move, Nagaland’s School Education Department has taken upon itself the task for streamlining the education system with special emphasis on the quality aspect of education in the State.
For the last many years, source said that the department was confronted with several problems, like shortage of teachers, non equitable distribution of teachers, upgradation of schools without creation of post, unqualified and untrained teachers, lack of infrastructure, poor academic performances, proxy teachers, etc.
The need to address various issues has been strongly voiced during the conference of DEOs, DISs, Principals & Vice Principals, Headmasters and directorate officials at Zonal Council Hall today. The conclave aiming at framing a guiding principle for improving the education system in government schools did a great deal of self introspection.
School Education Minister Imkong L. Imchen regretted that despite high potential and capability to perform, government teachers were “not performing”.
Imchen expressed serious concern over dismal performance of government schools in examinations over the years and called for seriously delving into the various aspect of the education system. He regretted that despite government teachers being paid better than their counterparts, results of government schools were far from satisfactory. Imkong gave a clarion call to the teaching community to do justice to their noble profession stating that they are qualified and well paid.
“What is wrong with us?” he asked the gathering while pointing out that only through collective effort, “we can make our children bright and the government schools shine.”
Imkong also asked the government teachers as to why they were allowing their children to study in private schools instead of sending then to government schools in which they are teaching.
The Minister also strongly viewed that something had to be done in the setting of question papers and the related marking system. “Our marking system is not liberal. Because of this, many students are deprived of getting admission in most of the colleges”, he said.
Imkong also felt that teachers should restrain from interfering in politics in order to avoid political transfer of teachers, which has been prevailing in the State.
Pointing out that the Special Investigation Team had been instituted to investigate into bogus teachers; he called upon the officers and headmasters to be cooperative with the team. So far the government have detected 263 bogus teachers.
The Minister pointed out that the actual number of bogus teachers could be even in the thousands.
“Many schools were upgraded without creation of post”, he regretted while at the same time pointing out that many schools were facing shortage of teachers and staff as creation of post has been banned by the State government.
Others who spoke included Commissioner & Secretary of School Education DK Bhalla, Additional Director of School Education and Director SCERT.
Meanwhile, political transfer of teachers as punishment has not been received well at the conference.
The participants said such practice should be discouraged and at the same time political interference in education should not be allowed.
Lack of parental care, converting supply of free text book into book grant, introduction of academic cell, more seminars on responsibility and duty of teachers, were some of suggestions put forth during the conference. Complaint were also received that some schools were functioning without proper infrastructure.
Giving more attention to Mathematic and Science teachers, equitable distribution of teachers, replacing under qualified teachers, equal distribution of teachers were the other points which came up at the conference.
