SHILLONG: The KSU Jaintia Hills District Unit has urged the State Government to upgrade the Jowai Polytechnic into a full-fledged engineering college even as it called for setting up for one more Government college in Jaintia Hills region.
“We need the engineering college sine there are many bright students in the two districts of Jaintia Hills who cannot afford to go outside to pursue engineering courses,” KSU Jaintia Hills district general secretary F Suiam told newsmen while addressing a press conference here on Tuesday.
He said that the engineering college will go a long way in providing opportunities to several talented but deprived students to fulfill their dreams of becoming engineers.
“The Jowai Polytechnic is offering very limited number of courses. Therefore, it has failed to meet the aspirations of the student community in the region,” Suiam said.
He said that the upgradation of the Jowai Polytechnic into an engineering college will also mean that there will be a greater variety of courses on offer by the institute.
“We hope that the Government will give a serious thought to our suggestion to set up the engineering college in Jowai,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also suggested the need to set up one more Government College in Jaintia Hills region.
“The Kiang Nangbah Government College in West Jaintia Hills can no longer absorb the huge number of students who are passing out every year,” he said.
Pointing out that the worst sufferers are students from East Jaintia Hills, he said that the students have to discontinue their studies since their parents cannot to send them to Shillong to pursue their studies.
“The only solution to this problem is to set up another Government college in East Jaintia Hills,” he said.
Meanwhile, the KSU leader also demanded that the facilities in the 100-bedded Jowai Civil Hospital be upgraded and more lab technicians should be appointed in the hospital.
“At present, people are being asked to undertake their various medical tests outside since there is only one lab technician in the hospital which is totally unjustified. We demand that the Government should immediately appoint atleast five lab technicians at the hospital,” he said.
Suiam also suggested that the Government should set up more Sub Health Centres in the two districts to cater to the need to the people in the remote villages.
He also expressed concern on the pathetic condition of major roads in the district including the National Highway.