By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Association of Meghalaya (JACATAM) has opposed the State government’s sudden move to provincialise deficit schools.
“The decision of the Government would jeopardize the education system. The entire education system would be at stake if the Government goes ahead to execute its decision,” JACATAM chairman ED Nongsiang said here on Saturday after a meeting.
The Government circular to the deficit schools of July 2 last exempted the Higher and Secondary schools run by “religious bodies”, and sought basic information from the remaining schools, including number of staff, land, building, sponsoring body etc.
While asserting that the religious institutions have better managing skills when compared to the Government-run schools, Nongsiang said people were the best judge while commenting on the management of government-run schools.
Instead of provincialising deficit schools, he said hat the Government should take over funding aspect of all deficit, adhoc and government-aided schools.
Nongsiang said states like Orissa, Goa and Kerala have partnered with the sponsoring bodies/managing committees of schools to improve educational scenario.
“Meghalaya government can do the same instead of going ahead with the provincialisation move,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Education Dr RC Laloo recently had made it clear that once the schools were provincialised, Government would be taking over all their assets, land and infrastructure, and would become sole authority of managing the schools.
Dr Laloo had also said the Government was “serious” about taking over the deficit schools, but did not indicate any time-frame. The teachers’ body wants to meet Prof Laloo to discuss the issue.
“We have been waiting since May to meet him (Prof Laloo). If he fails to meet us within the next two weeks beginning from Tuesday we will be forced to take a different course of action,” Nongsiang warned.
There are around 2,193 deficit schools in the state, right from the primary to the higher secondary level, and there are around 6,603 teachers in such schools. However, there are less than 100 deficit schools which are not run by any religious bodies. Apart from this, there are another 1,854 adhoc schools with 7,076 teachers.