Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Tuesday emphasised the need to create infrastructure in existing government colleges besides creating new higher and technical education institutions in the state with adequate manpower.
Inaugurating the North East Zonal conference organised by the All India Federation of University and College Teacher’s Organization (AIFUCTO) at Dera Natung government college here, Tuki expressed concern over the difficulties faced by students who have to go outside the state to pursue higher and technical education.
“Every year 15 to 20 thousand students are forced to move out of the state for higher education for want of educational institutions in the state. We are committed to create new and quality educational institutes in the state. “At the same time we have to fulfill the minimum requirements of basic infrastructure and manpower in the existing institutions,” he said.
Stressing on quality education and that it should be with a purpose, Tuki said education should not be to acquire degrees but to make the students eligible for gainful employment.
“Creating manpower without creating avenues for employment may be dangerous in the long run,” he observed.
The Chief Minister assured that the state government was giving top priority to human resource development. “When we create manpower we should also be able to take their services. So, we are working in the field of skill development and employment generation,” he said.
Lauding the AIFUCTO for organising the North East Zone conference in the state capital, the Chief Minister expressed optimism that the gathering would come out with a road map during the conference which would show the government a path to churn out a holistic education policy for the region and the state.
“Many times our voices do not reach the decision-makers. It is through intellectual and influential organisations like yours that our voices will be heard,” he said while assuring the state government would do its best for welfare of its teachers and educational institutions.
Responding to a three-point memorandum submitted by the Arunachal Pradesh College Teachers Association, Tuki said he would to look into the demands including appointment of vice principals in colleges, consideration of child-care leave for college teachers and appointment of lecturers to meet the required student-teacher ratio in various colleges of the state. (PTI)