SHILLONG: Parents and guardians are making scathing criticism in the aftermath of the leaking of Class IX internal examination question paper in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. They blamed MBoSE for the mess as there is no foolproof security in place to prevent such leakages.
There are observations from angry guardians that Shillong is dwindling rapidly in terms of quality education and that can be gauged from these unhealthy trends setting in the state now. They even said that this is not the first time question papers were leaked but the state education department and MBoSE has not learnt anything from the past, when SSLC question papers were even leaked. “It only goes on to say how easy they take things for granted,” observed many concerned guardians.
As the news of question papers being leaked even in Shillong after Jowai went viral guardians vent their anger and frustration on the authorities responsible, some guardians, with apparent simmering resentment, have put the onus on MBoSE completely. “The question papers of the internal examination are set by MBoSE – which are sent to deposit centers from where they are collected by the respective schools. These deposit centers are learnt to be ‘one particular school’ in a given locality, which are identified by MBoSE officials,” one of the guardians said.
The guardians questioned that why MBoSE has to seek the help of deposit centers in order to distribute question papers since it gives that extra edge for those who want to indulge in nefarious activities.
When question papers are collected by respective schools in Garo Hills right from the MBoSE headquarters in Tura then why this practice is not followed in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. They reasoned that there are more schools in Garo Hills than Khasi and Jaintia Hills, whereas what is the need to have so many delivery lines to distribute question papers in the latter two. Fingers are also pointed at the staff of the deposit centers and school heads, who are responsible for the safety of question papers. Allegations are rife from heated parents as staff along with teachers of schools and deposit centers are claimed to be behind this ‘unfair practice’ since it gives them a chance to earn some fast buck irrespective of the outcome. “The state education department or MBoSE cannot wash their hands off by passing the buck on the deposit centers. They are equally responsible for this mess and putting students’ future at stake,” fumed guardians even as others added that such ugly incident debars those hardworking students’ who have prepared day and night for their examinations. Students’ accompanying their parents and guardians were seen in trepidation post leaking of question papers, as their sorry state of affairs was hit with a collateral damage by the stoic silence of state education department and MBoSE officials on the matter, initially.
There are demands from many to scrap the faulty system of deposit centers and MBoSE taking full responsibility of stacking and distributing question
papers. It is high time, guardians feel, that MBoSE should utilize the services of post offices and banks. As leaking of question papers have been reported in the past too, there are also suggestions that any form of outsourcing even to schools have been proven a futile exercise and it is high time that the state education department and MBoSE wakes up from their slumber.
HYC concerned
Meanwhile, Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), has expressed concern over the recent leakage of question papers, which according to the organisation, exposes the system of educational prevalent in the state.
The organization urged the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) and the police to strive hard to bring the culprits to book.
The organization claimed that it had suggested the board that question papers be kept in the safe custody of police stations, but they were informed that the education department was experiencing fund constraints to accept the suggestion.)
