Editor,
With reference to the prevailing situation in the city where several brutal murders and attempted murders have taken place in broad daylight by targeting non-tribal people, I am surprised to see that no major protest or action has taken place and the local people believe that these acts are committed by some miscreants as if they are the investigating authorities. Miscreant or no miscreant is not as issue. The issue is that no one is bothered to publicly protest against these cowardly acts. Some protests are reflected through some editorial columns of the newspapers which not even 30% educated people can read.
Yours etc.
A Sengupta
Shillong – 4
Degeneration of a public school
Editor,
On 24th October I went to fetch my daughter from Pine Mount school. When I reached the gates she was not there. I waited for five minutes but she still did not turn up. Soon my five minutes turned to one hour and I really had a hard time as no parking space was available. Quite a few parents too waited at the gate as we were not allowed to enter beyond them. All of us were wondering why our daughters were held back for so long. Finally when she did come did I learnt that the Head Girl had made them stay back without prior information to the parents (and this has been going on for about a week). At home when I questioned my daughter I was told that the Head Girl not only made them stay back but had also asked them to have their lunch during the short recess which was the first break of the day. During the long recess they had to practice some songs. On top of that they also had to stay back after school. I made some simple calculations and realized that the children had to go without any food for approximately five to six hours. Is the Principal and teachers not aware of this? Does the Head Girl have so much authority? Where are the teachers? Why don’t they also monitor the children?
If you take a closer look at the school you will find that the majority of the teachers there are the younger version of the retired ones. The only difference now is that their teaching is pathetic. Has the government given the liberty to these retired teachers to pass on their legacy in the form of a job to their children? Are their posts hereditary? But I think this will not be too much of a problem for them as interviews and appointments are not being regulated and monitored by the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) but by the school’s Managing Committee. Mr Education Minister, are you not aware of all this? Or are you just turning a blind eye and a deaf ear, too afraid of opening up Pandora’s Box.
Thirdly, I would like to point out to the huge quantum of work given in the form of projects, assignments, crafts and S.U.P.W during the Puja holidays. Don’t the teachers realize that the Puja holidays are not really holidays for some religious groups as they have their religious duties to attend to? To mention further, when the students (and parents) have given so much of their time and effort in making their S.U.P.W. some are not even put up in the exhibition which is disheartening for the children. Praise and appreciation from teachers is seldom heard. Exhibition of the children’s work be they excellent, or average or below average motivates them to do better. Finally, I wonder and ponder where is the quality of teaching that Pine Mount used to be famous for as parents have now become private tutors for our children in every subject.
In conclusion, Pine Mount has really become (according to me) a “school” for thought.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Misleading article
Editor,
The column in your editorial page by Erwin K Sutnga on the Inner Line Permit threw a lot of light, with regards to the law in question and its interpretation of the ILP. But what humours me, is the audacity with which the writer proposes to misinform me, that the EBFR Act,1873 is null and void because of the enactment of the Independence Act. Are we to understand that the ILP in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are is being illegally implemented? If not, why present half baked arguments that will only further entangle the entangled minds? It would be best if the views of a panel of constitutional experts be sought for, as the writer is in contradiction with the legal views of the State’s Advocate General.
Some more light is the need of the hour.
Your etc.,
Eva Tariang,
Via email
Picketing by ILP consortium
Editor,
The Shillong Times has hit the nail on the head by aptly describing the ILP protesters as “CONSORTIUM. Consortium by definition means an association or a combination, as of BUSINESS, financial institutions, or INVESTORS, for the purpose of engaging in a joint venture for profit. A co-operative arrangement among groups or institutions!
Yours etc.,
Nesfield B Sangma,
Via email