SHILLONG: The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association and Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers’ Association has expressed its happiness with the overall process of selection of new textbooks by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE).
Speaking to media persons after a joint meeting of the two teaching bodies, ED Nongsiang, who is the president of the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association   and chairman of the joint meeting said that they are satisfied with the entire process of selection of books conducted by the Board.
While welcoming the move of the Board to go for the changing of school syllabus, Nongsiang felt that the review of the manuscripts was quite elaborate.
After we learnt from the teachers who are experienced in different subjects, we find that the process was done in an elaborate manner and they have taken much time to review and recommend the first, second and third preference of books, he said.
“It seems the Board has followed the opinion of the reviewers who are experienced teachers,” he said.
Responding to a query, he said that the two Associations  felt satisfied with the selection of books as it has to look at the content of the textbooks besides the existing scenario in the state.
“We also have to look at the CBSE/ICSE scenario,” Nongsiang said.
Giving details of the entire process Nongsiang said that   he processes of  reviewing the textbooks started in March April this year and even two symposiums for teachers were conducted in Tura and Shillong.
The EOI for  publishers were  issued in July this year  and the name of the reviewers were approved in September and even publishers submitted their books.
Later, a review meeting was held on October 17 and  the review work was completed on November 3.
Later, the decoding of the books was done on November 9 last as the reviewers had no idea of the publishers and finally list of books was notified on November 14
The entire process landed into a controversy after many alleged that publishing houses of national and international repute were sidelined while the unknown and small time publishing houses books were selected as the prescribed books.