Editor,
It has come to my attention that St. Anthony’s Hr. Sec. School is (forgive me for the choice of words) discriminating against some students. According to the school authorities , a student with 50% marks in Mathematics in Class VIII can’t opt for Computer Applications in his next year i.e. Class IX. What is more interesting is that this particular student scored fairly well in his other subjects like Science, Social Studies, English, Additional English and Computer Applications wherein his marks are above the average 75% and 80% in some. What makes it more interesting is that he scored above 90% in Computer Applications, the same subject he isn’t allowed to pursue anymore due to his low marks in Mathematics.
My question now is whether the school should make decisions for students? Shouldn’t a well reputed institute like St. Anthony’s allow students to take what they want and if they see that a student is doing fairly well in a subject allow him to improve and not debar him from it? And if they see that he is very poor in another, guide him towards a better understanding of it?
It’s high school! When we were in class IX and X we were allowed to take either Computer Applications or Health Education based on our interests and not on our marks! Of course when we cleared our XII then it was based on our PCB or PCM that we were allowed to choose a professional course! It was only when we passed class X that we started to opt for Science, Arts or Commerce!
Or has MBOSE changed the rules in a way that I don’t know about that this sort of selection in schools prior to their Board exams has been implemented. If so, please feel free to educate the rest of us!
However, I have heard of no other school except St. Anthony’s that is implementing this discriminatory practice.
This particular student has a very healthy interest in computers and has a dream to pursue studies relating to the same after his XII. I guess St. Anthony’s Hr. Sec. School isn’t the same school we all knew before, which guided us in achieving our dreams. I guess “Our” school diminishes student’s dreams only to increase its own status during each year’s Board results to achieve a healthy pass percentage and for its students to be seen as toppers.
Having brought this matter to public attention, I hope that those in authority would reverse such ill-conceived and arbitrary decisions. After all, it is the future and dreams of not a single student but an entire generation that is at stake!
Yours etc.,
Oliver Lyngdoh
Shillong-14
Barbaric assault at Mawlyndep!
Editor,
On December 27, 2013, an ambulance carrying an accident victim from Jowai to Shillong was stopped at Mawlyndep at around 11 PM. The driver was assaulted by the local people on the pretext that the siren was not on. The occupants of a vehicle accompanying the ambulance were also assaulted in the most inhuman way. The assailants were not goons or thugs but members of the general public including elders. The village people egged each other on in the assault. Even the women occupants were not spared. The intention of the people was to kill. I am shocked that this incident never made it to the front page news even though an FIR has been lodged at the Sohryngkham PS. This kind of assault is not a stray incident but a fairly regular occurrence in this area for motorists along the highway. Are we waiting for a Smit like incident before any action is taken? What is the police doing about the case? These are questions we want answers to. The village dorbar cannot wash it’s hands off this incident as it happened right under its nose. All culprits must be booked as per their intention that fateful night, i.e. attempted murder.
Yours etc.,
Lamchwa Mukhim,
Via email