No training centres in GH, SSA teachers blame Govt

TURA: Teachers from Garo Hills, who are facing the threat of possible termination following a new bill passed in the Lok Sabha, have blamed the lack of training centres in the region for their inability to get training.
The new bill makes it mandatory for teachers to get a Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) degree or Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed). The last date to get the degree is March 31, 2019.
The All Garo Hills SSA School Teachers Association has raised concern over it. The association blamed the State Government as well as the 24 elected representatives from Garo Hills for failing to set up enough training centres despite repeated demands.
“Now we have only two years to clear the diploma course or our services will be terminated. The Government was supposed to set up these training centres in every district but it failed to do so despite repeated demands,” Publicity Secretary of the teachers’ body Tronament D Sangma said.
There are two training units in the Garo Hills region. One is located at Rongkhon near Tura in West Garo Hills, the other is at Baghmara in South Garo Hills.
The teachers had asked for centres under National Institute of Open Schooling in all Garo Hills districts before.
A memorandum was submitted recently to the Directorate of Education Research and Training in Shillong.