Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 9
An overwhelming majority (70%) of respondents expressed disapproval for the recent government’s decision to relax the recruitment policy of teachers. This is as per the latest result of the weekly poll conducted by this newspaper—do you support the government’s decision to relax the recruitment policy of teachers? One respondent even lashed out that such “populist decision aimed to win more votes, will only destroy the Nagas”. As per the poll, only 24% expressed support for the recent notification relaxing norms for recruitment to school teachers posts, with one respondent even giving the justification that because some tribes do now have people that are qualified to meet the criteria for teaching, by relaxing the criteria, they can now serve their ‘own tribe’.
One respondent, clearly not happy with the government’s decision, said that the teaching standard in Nagaland state is poor, now it will even grow worse. “This is the reason why many parents sent their children outside Nagaland for their studies”, the respondent observed. “Rather than making the system for recruitment more efficient so that they get quality teachers, I am disgusted to learn that the government has taken a very irresponsible decision”, noted another respondent. “God help our students. The quality of teachers will only become worse”, lamented another while others went to the extent of saying that such short-sighted decision will cause bigger problems in the Naga society and so demanded an explanation from the government. “We cannot play with the future of our children. Education is the foundation of the society. Rather than improving the quality of teaching, the government is doing the opposite”.
In fact, even among the 20% respondents who supported the government’s decision to relax norms for teacher’s recruitment, one person disclosed that most teachers “are doing proxy” alleging them to be children and relatives of politicians and bureaucrats. “They don’t care. Most of them don’t even go to school to teach and though they have talent, it is wasted. So it is better to get less qualified teachers who are at least there than to have qualified teachers who are never there. This is the sorry state of Nagaland”. Among the few who staunchly supported the government’s decision, one respondent said this was the only way to meet the ‘demand for teachers’.
“Though it may affect the quality of teaching, at least there will be sufficient teachers”. “This will help in employing the educated unemployed”, said another supporter.
An interesting point was made by one respondent: “It would have been good if the government and department had first sought the opinion of the people first before making this landmark decision because this will affect the children of Nagaland. This is one of the weaknesses of governments in Nagaland. They do not know how to consult or take the opinion and views of the people”.
It may be mentioned that in the backdrop of the agitation of the Eastern Nagaland Students Federation (ENSF) with regard to the new teachers’ recruitment policy, the State government recently announced relaxation of the policy in respect of candidates who do not possess the prescribed professional qualification—PSTE/B.Ed, with certain conditions.
