Editor,
Apropos the news report on the functioning of the State Security Commission (ST June 2, 2014), the question to ask is – ‘What has the State Security Commission accomplished since it was formed? If the Commission means business it should have met frequently, especially in the light of what seems like police misdemeanours in the past week. But obviously this Commission is also just another Government-owned body created to toe the Government line. It is a hoax played on the people of Meghalaya.
The Commission should have been used to brainstorm and develop strategies for better policing by involving different stakeholders. Tackling militancy requires multiple strategies and the police here obviously lack a think-tank. The strategy and planning should be overseen by a Cabinet committee chaired by the Chief Minister with the Home Minister as the Deputy chair. The state security and intelligence machinery (State Intelligence Bureau) should work closely with the Chief Minister and Home minister at all times and provide real time, actionable intelligence. Local authorities, emergency services, private sector firms, voluntary and charitable organizations may play a key supporting role in any major emergency. If the conflict zone is not stabilized legally, politically and economically the skill sets of civilian agencies need to be brought in early to erect a stable regime.
Unfortunately all the above are missing from the present situation. It also shows how security agencies and their political masters take for granted the law and order situation, with Garo Hills entering a dark phase and lawlessness gaining ground. It seems our leaders are more concerned with self aggrandizement and thereby gambling with the security of future generations. Personally, I feel the obfuscation of the present situation will add more fuel to the fire and hamper our children’s future and the country’s well being. My question is will our leaders ever learn?
Yours etc.,
Christopher Gatphoh,
Via email
Archaic educational standards
Editor
The article, “Education: An Urgent Need for Change,” by Flourette G Dkhar should be an eye-opener for all our “esteemed” institutions resting on their outdated laurels. It is time they wake up and realize that the world has moved forward and that they have not. When will they learn that “drill and grill” teaching has already pushed active, play-based learning out of many kindergartens. There is little evidence that standards for young children lead to later success. Many countries with top-performing high-school students provide rich play-based, non-academic experiences – not standardized instruction – until age six or seven.
My son is in kindergarten this year. He comes from a highly literate household. He is becoming more adept at making letters, but the act of trying to write a sentence is exhausting to him. I know that many children his age can handle that. He can’t. And yet, I’m not worried about his literacy. He loves to look at books and has enormous curiosity about the world. He insists we read a story every night at bedtime no matter how sleepy he is. What I and, I hope, most other responsible parents, want from our schools is an environment where he and other children can develop the motor control for writing at their own pace, where his mind and body are engaged and challenged. I care much more about whether he is interested, loving learning, and enjoying school than I do about whether he can write a sentence by the end of the year. Our education methods are taking the joy out of everything. Testing, standards, and drills are crowding out curiosity and creativity. Many kids have few opportunities to just read for pleasure; instead they have to memorize or rote everything without sometimes actually understanding the context of what they read. School should be fun and frolic mixed with meaningful study and learning aimed at equipping students with skills to face the wider world. Instead, it is frustrating and disheartening for a lot many. May be that is why so many drop out. Isn’t it time that the education ‘experts’ realize that didactic instruction and testing will crowd out other crucial areas of young children’s learning such as active, hands-on exploration, and developing social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills – all of which are difficult to standardize or measure but are the essential building blocks for academic and social accomplishment and responsible citizenship?
Yours etc.,
Karen Ranee,
Via email
Environment is all encompassing
Editor,
Patricia Mukhim’s article “Powerful voices for coal mining: Environment be damned.” (ST May 30, 2014) is an excellent special article with so many facts and questions that needs an answer from all those concerned. The editor and writer has raised many pertinent questions on Ka Mei Ram-ew. She has aptly pointed out that “Today so few people actually smell the earth and understand nature.” Having read her article I recall what Albert Einstein said “The environment is not me.”
Yours etc.,
Vijay Lyngdoh,
Via email
Error in reportage
Editor,
This is the season of results and admissions, so on May 23 as I was going through your daily, I came across the caption ICSE results (pg. 3). On reading it, I was surprised to see that the topper’s percentage from Pine Mount School was 95.5% whereas on May 21 when the ICSE results were announced it came to my knowledge that the topper of Pine Mount School had acquired an overall percentage of 94.33% and a best-of-five percentage of 95.2%.As my information of the Pine Mount School topper’s percentage was different prior to the publication, I inquired further and found out that the information I had received on May 21 was absolutely correct. Hence I would request that more accuracy and care is taken before publishing the marks of individuals (toppers) in your daily as it causes great confusion among the students.
Yours etc.,
Subhasish Deb.
Shillong-3
Jowai Town Woes
Editor,
Every time I travel from Shillong to Jowai, I get lost in the beauty of the land. The captivating scenery reminds me that we are blessed most abundantly. My reverie however is always abruptly dismissed as soon as I enter Jowai town and am greeted by the sight of a ram-shackled, smelly, and highly disoriented, litter strewn market place. It is an appalling sight painful to behold. The condition of the market seems to worsen each day. The dirt and grime, puddles that are cess pools of goodness knows what, combined with the horrendous traffic jam is what welcomes me every time. It is a worrying prospect to note that parts of a once quaint little town are starting to look more and more like slum areas! Last month, on one such visit, we were stuck at ‘Iaw-musiang’ as the rain endlessly lashed and poured all around us. Needless to say, we inevitably had to make our way as best possible through what I can only describe as drain water. A market place of all places should be a picture of cleanliness and health. Proper systems of drainage and waste disposal are obviously lacking. The callousness and indifference of the people sitting at their respective stalls, who casually toss a plastic bag or a rotten something directly into the walking path is shameful. The ugly trail continues, spills and does not spare even the locality where I grew up. What used to be a picturesque residential locality is slowly transforming into a makeshift market. Waking up to the squeals of pig slaughter and bleating goats is something I’m not used to. The sight of a country bumpkin relieving himself or herself in front of our house is enough to put one in a foul mood all day long. Everywhere we look, there seems to be only deterioration. Something needs to be done before the degeneration is irreversible. It is not too late. The time to act is now. I strongly support Mr Mukhim’s call for a “Save Jowai” campaign. Picture this town ten years down the line. What do we see?
Yours etc.,
Badaker M. Laloo,
Via email