By Dr Lakhan Kma
Successive governments in Meghalaya have never paid enough attention to human resource development. This has resulted in the swelling of repertoire of ill-prepared human resources who are finding difficulty in getting suitable placements due to lack of proper training, preparation and avenues. Not surprisingly the overall growth rate of the state is snail-paced, largely contributed by poor human resources combined with other factors. In the process of human resource development, there is no doubt that teachers play a central role. In order to realise the full potential of teacher’s ability to produce quality students, their own development cannot be ignored. They themselves comprise of human resource entrusted with the task of shaping the next generation and beyond by investing on human resource at their disposal in our classrooms. However, we have not been able to do justice to our teachers. We could neither tap their talents nor have been able to fully utilize them to develop the critical human resource necessary for our immediate future.
On this instance, let me restrict myself only to woes and plight of teachers across different levels, particularly at school level, hampering their full commitment to teach their best to our students. In the process, the strengthening and enrichment of our human resource gets reduced. The State of Meghalaya has at its disposal the faculty of NEHU, the faculty of reputed colleges of Shillong and other learned people as Education Minister, Minister of Higher and Technical Education or Minister of School Education and Literacy. However, the plight of teachers continues. The step-motherly treatment of teachers can be highlighted by the recently approved Meghalaya Fifth pay Commission’s recommendation keeping deficit school teachers out of its purview. Are teachers in deficit schools less important or less qualified to teach students across nooks and corners of Meghalaya? Why is it that teachers instead of focussing on their teaching assignments, had to come to the streets under the umbrella of Khasi-Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association and other similar associations to get their voices heard? Is it so difficult to streamline the recruitment of teachers in deficit schools in order to bring them at par with government teachers and ensure monthly salary and job security? Certainly not, although the Chief Minister’s statement in the recently concluded Assembly session to extend the pay benefits to deficit teachers is welcoming, the commitment should be in black and white and leave no room for scepticism.
Another glaring example of disinterest of Meghalaya Government in human resource development is the non-payment of salary for four months and arrears for eight months of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers forcing the Meghalaya SSA School Teacher’s Association (MSSASA) to probably knock the doors of Meghalaya High Court to redress their grievances. Can the current School Education and Literacy Minister Ms Deborah Marak or other Ministers, MLAs or MDCs postpone the payment of their salaries for 4 months? Just delay it by a month and watch the response of our so-called ‘representatives’. Yet, there is the usual lukewarm response to the injustice meted out to our teachers. Being a teacher myself, I cannot imagine a scenario of not to be paid salary even for a month. What should these teachers do? Should they leave the classroom and do some alternative work to survive leaving the students to suffer and pile up the degraded human resources?
Whenever the plight and sufferings of teachers are brought to the fore, financial crunch seems to be the ready-made answer of governments down the ages. However, looking at the MUA-II government’s recent inauguration and sanctioning spree of Rs. 19 crores for State Technical University, Tura, Rs. 26 crores for College of Architecture & Urban Planning, Jewilgre, Engineering College at Ampati, Rs. 210 crores road project at Mangsang, East Garo Hills, several road projects worth crores of money, etc. the government seems to be sitting on and overflowing coffer. With elections round the corner, one is justifiably tempted to out rightly reject these inducements as election gimmicks. However, lets us mindfully digest it with a pinch of salt and take it as it may be at face value. Additionally, the combined expenditure of around Rs. 10 crores on Terra Madre, Cherry Blossom, 18 Degree and Film Festivals, etc., lakhs of money spent on payment of salaries and perks on Parliamentary Secretaries which has been declared illegal by the Hon’ble High Court, etc. adds to this proposition and nullifies the MUA-II’s financial predicament. In spite of all the lavishness, alas! MUA-II government has no money to pay for the monthly salary of its teachers. Indeed the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya has rightly observed that teachers are not getting their dues and the State Govt. is avoiding its responsibility on some pretext or the other while hearing the case between Greater Phulbari Area Deficit School against the State Govt.
Mr. Chief Minister, create state-of-the-art libraries with subscription of good books and journals across subjects, high speed internet and printing facility that is open 24/7 in every district headquarter and possibly other towns across Meghalaya under ‘students’ digital learning aid scheme’. It will be more sustainable than erratic or opportunistic distribution of tablet PCs or m-tabs without internet facility. In the process, good and sustainable repertoire of human resources will be developed over a period of time. With elections in mind, populist ideas are popping up in MUA-II government but public are not naive anymore. The government should rather focus on basic issues like paying someone his/her due salary. Once basic requirements of our teachers and others are fulfilled, one can probably afford to even pay attention to Time Squarish ideas and honeymoon train to Sohra.
Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher had said, “Those who educate children well are more to be honoured than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well’. Time and again politicians have pronounced these or other reverend words suitably and pretentiously on ‘Teacher’s Day’ only. Had they meant it and given teachers their rightful dues we would have not been discussing the matter here today. As far as rightful dues are concerned, even deficit college teachers are still waiting for their job security for decades while their counterparts in government colleges are at peace. Yet, they continue to produce good students who become successful in life and occasionally become political intrigues once in power.
In this election season, let’s be sensible so that we don’t have to rue our decision for the next five years. It’s high time to replace and dump all those so-called ‘representatives’ who have never stood up to fight to remove the plight of teachers and who have contributed to the degeneration of the human resource development process. Without good human resources, Meghalaya will continue to lack people with innovation and entrepreneurships that drive the economy of the State forward. The Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya has very aptly reiterated recently that teachers are the backbone of society and they cannot be avoided or neglected and all right thinking people cannot have agreed more with this observation of the Court.