Access to free and compulsory education
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government on Friday tabled the highly-anticipated Meghalaya Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules (MRCF&CER), 2011 in the Assembly.
Education Minister Prof RC Laloo tabled the bill on the first day of the Autumn Assembly session.
With adoption of these rules under the Right To Education Act, every child in the State between the ages of 6 to 14 years would have access to free and compulsory education.
The other salient features of the RTE Act is that students studying in schools from standard one to standard eight would not be detained once the system of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) is implemented.
The basic objective of the CCE is to bring all round development in students through regular assessments in the school environment by a competent and trained teacher.
Apart from the stated-owned rules of the RTE, Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh in-Charge Parliamentary Affairs also introduced the Meghalaya (Members’ Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2001.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma presented the annual report of the Meghalaya State Information Commission for the year 2010.
Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong also laid down the 29th Annual Report of the Meghalaya Mineral Development Corporation Limited for the year 2009-2010.
Govt appeal to teachers
Education Minister Prof RC Laloo has appealed to the governing bodies of all government-aided colleges to prevail upon their respective teaching staff to resume their duties in the best interest of the student community.
“We have already decided to release the 20 per cent arrears to those teachers of government colleges who are drawing their salaries as per the UGC scale of pay,” Prof Laloo said, while making a suo moto statement in the Assembly on Friday.
He also added that the government will release the 40 per cent arrears of all non-teaching staff of colleges who are availing state government scale with effect from January 1, 2007.
Obituary references
The Assembly on Friday paid rich tributes to former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister late Dorjee Khandu, whom the legislators described as a man with a great vision.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma termed Khandu as a stalwart and termed his demise as a great loss to the nation.
“He (Khandu) was a leader who had great vision. Khandu was also an honest politician,” Dr Sangma added.
Opposition leader Conrad K Sangma said the death of a leader like Khandu was a great loss not only to Arunachal Pradesh but to the nation as a whole.
Former Chief Minister DD Lapang recalled his long association with the late Chief Minister.
Besides, Khandu, the House also paid tribute to former Nagaland Speaker RC Jamir, Tamil Nadu Minister Mariam Pichai, CPI (M) Mustafa Bin Quasim and Tripura CPI (M) leader Baidyanath Majumder.
The tributes were paid during the customary obituary references moved by the Leader of the House Dr Mukul Sangma.
Members of the House also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the departed souls.