By Our Reporter
Shillong: The fact that Meghalaya does not follow in Toto the national curriculum has diluted the pattern of education followed by many schools and colleges in the State, Principal of St Edmund’s College, Dr Sylvanus Lamare, observed.
“Meghalaya is diluting the National Policy of 2005 and the State does not follow the syllabus of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT),” Dr Lamare said.
Stressing on this topic, Dr Lamare said that in Meghalaya such dilutions has paved the way for easy money for the publishers in the State as they are given the opportunity to publish two or more books on a particular subject which would have not been the case if Meghalaya had followed the national curriculum.
“The curricula offered by the State today create more stress for the students,” he said adding that due to this “our students have to go for additional coaching classes to be at par with other students around the country.”
Dr Lamare was highlighting these facts during a panel discussion on the Draft Meghalaya Youth Policy organized by the KSU-NEHU unit to observe the ‘Year of the Youth’ on NEHU premises here on Friday.
Concerned over the lack of monitoring of government schools and colleges in the State, Dr Lamare said there were cases where teachers remain absent from duty and this contributes to incomplete courses and syllabi leaving the student in dismay. “Such things mostly happen in government schools and colleges but the least in institutions run by missionaries,” he stated.
He also maintained that there are no government colleges in the State and this matter should have been seriously looked upon by the government while drafting the State Youth Policy as these things matters a lot as far as development of the youth is concerned.
Meanwhile, there emerged a marked difference among the panelists as far as the determination of the age of a youth was concerned. While some were of the opinion that the age should be from 13-35, others stated that the national prospect does not fit in the context of Meghalaya and there should be different framework for different conglomeration of the youth which is 13-19 years, 20-25 years and 25-35 years.
Founder of SAN-KER, Dr Sandy Syiem, spoke at length about the need to extend mental health care to the masses stating that about 90 per cent of the mentally challenged people do not get access to mental health care.
“I suggest the government to focus on counseling as this is considered as one of the ways to help solve the problems faced by the youth,” Dr Syiem said while stressing on the need to hire trained counselors.
Speaking on the need to bring music, arts and culture to the forefront while framing the youth policy, Dr Desmond Kharmawphlang said culture is the phenomena in the arena of youth development. He urged the State Government to recognize the cultural expressions in every form. “I am dismayed to find very little mention about cultural activities in the Draft as it’s a fact that cultural activities can become rewarding careers and they should be encouraged to provide wholesome recreation and opportunities to the youth,” he said.
Meanwhile, deliberating at length on skill development programmes, Dr Salam Singh from the Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) pointed out that there are men without jobs and jobs without men.
“This is something very crucial as we see that despite the availability of jobs in the market, yet there are none who fits that profession due to lack of skills,” he said, adding that the youth has become social liability and not social assets and this should be focused strongly in the 12th Five-Year Plan.
He was of the opinion that a benchmark concept should be developed by the government to make the youth fit for the available job markets by placing an effective and placement cells in every institution.
It may be reminded that the Sports and Youth Affairs department has released the first draft of the Meghalaya Youth Policy and a one-month time has been given to the various stakeholders to contribute their suggestions which would be incorporated in the final draft before it is placed before the State Cabinet.
Other panelists included former KSU president Samuel Jyrwa, member of B-ABLE Janesalene M Pyngrope, Clive W Dunai from the Sports department, Dr AK Nongkynrih, besides students of Kiddies’ Corner School, NEHU students, KSU members and others.