By Benjamin Lyngdoh
The realization that a sizable proportion of the class XI applicants did not find/merit a seat for further studies comes as a bittersweet reality. It is an oxymoron which at best describes the self-ruining education trend of our state. It is bitter as it is not being able to provide an opportunity to the youth to further scale on their competencies. It is sweet as an increase in the demand for education reflects on the direction and desire for progress and productivity. Importantly, what matters now is how to ride on this macro-level indication of the state of affairs. Needless to say, this calls for brainstorming and in-depth planning and policy. This pressing matter cannot be demystified and solved through newspaper columns and street talks. Nonetheless, a seed which serves as a platform for additional deliberations can always be laid. In relation, I would like to place the following pointers –
Firstly, contractual appointment of teachers will not solve the problem. It is a temporary and half-hearted measure. At best, it will create classes amongst the masses. There is nothing more psychologically draining than to state for oneself as being contractually involved. This psychological pinch directly reflects on the loyalty and performance of the teachers. As such, it is high time to seriously think on this conundrum. As financially burdensome as it may be, we have to start acting now. A blueprint for reasonable and motivational pay must be devised at earnest. As a starting point, we may look at the initiatives at the central government level. There are continuous efforts to make attractive the entry level pay for teachers across education levels. This is done with the objective for motivating talented and dedicated human resources to take up teaching profession and their retaining as such. Consequently and as we are at the threshold of the Fifth Pay Panel, why not incorporate this agenda into our thinking process on education. This is more so as the demand for education is going to grow further and contractual appointments can only be counter-productive in the long-run.
Secondly, physical infrastructure is a critical issue. The construction of additional classrooms and related piecemeal efforts are again an indication of short sightedness. The more appropriate approach is to look at wide-ranging possibilities of public-private partnerships (PPP) in education. This is required both at the school and college level. A framework for this can be contemplated. Granted, that most of the educational organizations have some/all posts that are paid for by the government and this can be argued as already being one form of PPP. Conversely, the need of the hour is to move beyond this partnership covering soft skills alone and focus on brick and stone from the very foundation up. In the era of development that Shillong and other towns have seen, there must be a host of ‘venture capitalist’ who are more than willing to invest their wealth on education. However, these will come forward only on the back drop of a comprehensive and sustainable framework for PPP which is launched on a professional platform. As such, a business model concerning this possible form of intervention may be feasible. To start with, some pilot projects on PPP may be taken up.
Thirdly, this is not with the intention of malice or of demeaning the innovative efforts of MBOSE. The intention here is to add value and effectiveness to the Institution. Overall, there is a need to have a relook and revisit the MBOSE curriculum. In addition, there may be a need to monitor and appraise on the current system of student evaluation. In a global economy where competition is more confined and cut-throat, we need to weigh our students (MBOSE) with the students from other more progressive boards. In general, we find our students lacking. This reflects till the time they scale to higher levels of education. Although there can be a host of factors for this, the one major factor is the curriculum. Increasingly, there are cases on the ground where in students from other boards find the MBOSE curriculum as a cake walk. Similarly, our students struggle to cope with the other curriculum (at least during the early few months). Clearly there is something wrong that is happening in our classrooms. It is high time that the appropriate authorities constitute efforts to bring ‘at par’ the curriculum. This can only bode well for our students.
Fourthly, I reemphasize on the need for a state university. The demand for education is increasing right up to higher levels. In every admission processes of NEHU, there are many deserving candidate who merit but do not find a seat. Depressingly, the university is turning into a helpless bystander to this unpleasant phenomenon. Herein lies the clarion call. We do not need just institutes; we need a full-fledged state university which is appropriately promulgated by the state legislature. As such, these deserving candidates can be absorbed accordingly. However and to this end, there are those learning which are to be acknowledged. It should be a ‘state’ university and not some private enterprise in the name of some person somewhere (where in the name of private education they commercialize the entire setup akin to selling groceries). After all, credible education is to be provided by a credible educational organization.
Lastly, why are the pressure groups silent on the matter? If there is anything at all worth shouting for, this is it. There is nothing more important than speaking up for your youth friends and try to ensure a path to their growth and development. In fact in the true sense of the term, this is your primary responsibility. For once do stand up and speak up and demand up and hence by then, people will start considering you as an NGO and a partner in development. Moreover, there is a need to move away from the ‘age old rhetoric’ of ‘our seats are taken by outsiders’ and look at the bigger picture and the bigger solution. This problem is a lot more than that. The ‘age old rhetoric’ cannot be the basis of your arguments anymore and it is time to find something better which will really spearhead the cause. This is primarily because moving education out of life support requires a monumental and ground shifting effort across all stakeholders.
(The writer teaches at NEHU)