In response to the article “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan a failure in Mon” which appeared in The Morung Express page 7, dated 8th August 2006, the KBBB would like to clarify the misreported charges labeled against its role on AIS program by Minphong Konyak, press assistant of Shansham organization, Mon. the KBBB never claimed that the AIS program undertaken by it as 100% success, but the charges labeled against us depicts the program as total failure. Hence, the KBBB is compelled to make the following clarification:
1. The KBBB had taken up the Alternative and Innovative Schooling (AIS) program as assigned by the State Mission Authority, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Nagaland with MOU signed for program implementation. Despite practical difficulties at the grassroots level in the district, the KBBB as an implementing agency had done its level best to fulfill the aim and objectives of the AIS program.
2. Unfortunately, the reporter appeared to be confused and mixed-up with the SSA program as a whole. He blamed the Church for being in-charge of “Alternative Schooling or “Education Guarantee Scheme” whereas the KBBB is responsible only for Alternative and Innovative schooling (AIS) program. As the writer observed, some clergy members might be unaware of the objective of SSA in general but our concern is AIS program in particular.
3. The reporter had accused the clergy men to be ignorant of the “true objective” whereas the KBBB has conducted training programs twice for the Centre Management Committee members and Education Volunteers. They were clearly instructed the aims and objectives of the AIS foe effective implementation. The aim and objectives of the AIS was even translated into Konyak for the convenience of the vernacular readers in the villages.
4. The writers’ allegation of mishandling of the fund and its diversion for “some other developmental works” is totally baseless. The management of fund has been audited by the chartered accountant directed by the concerned department and submitted the report to the authority concerned without any objection as such.
5. The sarcastic statement of the writer “but of course their reports on work progress are excellent” is defamatory in nature. The KBBB would suggest the writer to collect report and evidences from the concern agency before lifting defamatory finger.
The target of AIS program is to streamline the dropout and never enrolled children to formal schools. The Implementing agency of the AIS Mon has covered 96 villages with 9146 total enrollments, out of which 2562 children were mainstreamed in the formal schools. The Remedial Teaching Scheme undertaking by the concern department at present is outcome of the AIS program implemented by the KBBB.
C Nyamto Wangsha
Coordinator AIS Mon
