By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Governor RS Mooshahary has rued the abysmal picture of women in Meghalaya. He said that crimes against women such as rape and molestation are on the rise and that education has failed to improve the conduct of men. The Governor was speaking at the inaugural function of the two-day State Level Seminar on “Impact of Education in Socio-Cultural Development in Meghalaya” at Raid Laban College on Thursday.
Mooshahary said he was happy to know that the College catered to a diverse group of students and from different economic strata. “It’s a real challenge to change men and women from humble backgrounds because they are born in the shadows of life. Good students who go to renowned colleges and to IITs and IIMs start life with a distinct advantage.” Mr Mooshahary said adding that those from humble backgrounds make it through determination and perspiration.
“Education helps to make better human beings with understanding and tolerance but there are people who are not educated but have all these qualities, whereas some highly educated people do not manifest such qualities,” the Governor observed.
Observing that the literacy rate in Meghalaya is above the national average at 75.48 the Governor stated that Meghalaya should have done much better since it had a head start over the other seven states, having been the educational center of the North East. He said that states like Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland and even turmoil ridden Manipur had higher literacy rates than Meghalaya. “Meghalaya cannot be proud of its education as we should be somewhere at par with Mizoram,” he said.
Pointing out that education includes thinking and behavior alongside culture Mr Mooshahary said, “One way of judging the cultural standards of a community is how men behave towards women. Evidently men’s conduct has not improved, hence the rising crime graph against women,” the Governor said.
He further observed that though Meghalaya can be proud of its grass root institutions, there is no representation of women in the district councils. “Unless women are given space in decision making injustices will continue,” Mooshahary noted, adding that the real wealth of a state is the quality of life of its people and not the minerals and raw materials. He also pointed to the growing gap between the rich and poor and said quality education alone can remove this gap. At present there is gross exploitation of the poor by the affluent and this has to be checkmated,” he said.
Prof AN Rai, VC, NEHU spoke about intellect with innate ability. “Using the intellect, we develop our skill and acquire knowledge whereas the tool is the innate intellect and education is the way,” he said.
Speaking about the challenges in providing education in the long term he suggested big expansion of the education sector, provide for entry and exit system at any stage but while providing accessibility to education quality has to be maintained.
On the entry and exit system the Prof said, “Presently the system is very rigid. We have to cerate a system whereby a student who leaves his studies midway can also get some kind of certification and he can return and complete the course later,.” Prof Rai stated, adding that there has to be a system which allows entry and exit at any time.
Prof Rai also said that the present system of testing and evaluation is also defective as it is rigid, archaic and manual. He said curriculum reforms get stalled at the state level even if it has a consensus and is passed at the national level. The VC urged upon the teaching fraternity to welcome the proposed semester system as it is an important step towards reforms in education.
The Regional Director, IGNOU, Shillong spoke about IGNOU’s contribution in the educational scenario in the state in particular and the region/country in general.
The seminar endeavors to analyse how education ahs impacted the socio-cultural development in the state.
Other who spoke at the function were D Rynjah, Principal, Mr S Nongbri, Secretary Managing Committee and Amit Biswas, HOD, Botany.