By Albert Thyrniang
In the recent past our public consciousness has been affected by certain happenings. The print, electronic and especially social media, for better or for worse, have helped our minds to hold sway to these goings-on. First, the May-June Punjabi Lane violence that attracted national glare surprised all of us, then came the bound to be failed Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Second amendment) Bill, 2018 in July-August evoked a sharp debate between opposing sides. The Supreme Court decriminalising homosexuality and the LGBT rights in early September did draw our attention but it was cut short by the resignation of DD Lapang from the Congress and the attempt to make it sensational. By now, however, we have realised that no one is indispensable and the NPP, UDP and BJP who wanted to lure him to their fold have realised they can’t afford to give in to what the five time CM seems to crave.
This article deals with none of the above issues but about the Education policy of Meghalaya which has found few takers.
On Sep 21st the Meghalaya Cabinet approved the Meghalaya State Education Policy 2018 that could provide a road map to raise the educational levels in the state. Though one doubts, the government claims that wide consultations and discussions with stakeholders was done before the Cabinet’s final approval. As revealed by the Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui the constituted 24-member task force team met many times. But other than that when and where did the consultations and discussions take place? The minister also informed that only 230 representations from the whole state were received by the task force. The reason for the poor response is either because the Government did not make enough effort or simply because of the indifferent attitude of Meghalayans!
I tried to locate the policy online but I couldn’t find it. A poor search engine! Till September 29, 2018 on the front page of the website of the Department of Education that also includes the Directorate of School Education and Literacy, Directorate of Higher and Technical Education and Directorate of Education and Training as hosts, still reads “The Final Draft Meghalaya Education Policy (2018) is published herewith for information of all concerned.” Even after the approval of the Policy on Sep 21st the website is still appealing to interested individuals/associations to submit their representations to the Director, Educational Research & Training before 30th April, 2018.
Since the approved policy is not available to me, a comment will be unfair. However, a Policy can’t be expected to work miracles to the ailing sector of the state. As stated the Policy is a general guideline that tries to address the main issues and concerns of the education sector covering broad areas of the different stages and types of education. Reportedly, the policy places the child as the focal point.
For me what we need is an educational revolution or reformation more than an education policy. Revolution and reformation are different but both seek drastic changes. A revolution or reformation is needed because the basics are not going right or the present practices do not yield the desired results. A revolution or reformation attacks the fundamentals and brings about a complete change whether political, religious, social or economic by going into the very roots of an organisation or a society.
Now, education in our State is in shambles. The basic practices are not right. Shillong may boast of being an educational hub of the North East but it is generally accepted that the overall education in the state is pathetic. This short column has no space to list and much less examine the ills of education in the Abode of Clouds but let me name a few common and well known faulty practices that have to be changed radically, reformed or even revolutionalized if we want to revamp this vital indicator of the state’s progress.
Unpunctual and Irregular teachers
Last year a research group at Azim Premji Foundation found that teacher absenteeism in government schools is as low as just 2.5 per cent though the general perception ranges from 20 per cent to 50 per cent. This is however, a national figure. In Meghalaya irregularity of teachers is rampant especially in rural areas. In May this year it was reported that an organisation found that in many schools in the remote areas of Garo Hills teachers put their signatures in the attendance register although they are absent from duty.The NGO further established that the teachers are present in schools only twice in a year to conduct the half yearly and annual examinations. It February 2014 it was reported that in Gabil village, North Garo Hills, the Headmaster of the Government L.P. School was absent the whole year. In May this year the Deputy Commissioner visited a government school in Tura and found packed classrooms but no teachers. Teacher absenteeism is a widespread harmful practice throughout the state.
If irregularity is rampant unpunctuality is the most regular practice. Unpunctual teachers are not limited to village schools. They are common in district head quarters as well. Let me refer to the town this individual resides. Research scholars from different universities of the state come to Tura for data collection. They are stunned when they find that many teachers reach very late and leave school very early. A research scholar shockingly narrated that a Principal of a government institution reached his office at 12.30 pm. It is also quite normal to see children come out of the school by 1.30 pm/2pm whereas the school timing is 4 pm.
Principals in charge
Those in the know tell you that almost all the government schools in Garo Hills have no appointed principals/heads. There are only principals/heads in charge (acting heads). One is not sure why this trend persists. Why does the government not appoint full-fledged heads in its institutions? Are there no qualified candidates to fill up these vacancies? Many joke that the government saves money for its ministers. Whatever be the reasons this practice clearly shows the government’s lukewarm attitude towards education. In spite of all rhetoric, education is not a priority for any government.
Under-utilised and non-productive teachers
If you visit government schools you are likely to encounter teachers chatting in the staffroom the whole time. Let me explain the reasons. In a higher secondary school for example, there are at least six teachers while there are only two classes (Class XI and XII). So these teachers have only two or at the most three classes a day. In the months from February to June (5 months) when there is no class XI these teachers have just one or two hours of class a day. So what else do they do except gossip the whole day?
These teachers turn out to be unproductive as well. The results of these institutions are poor and in some cases dismal. These teachers draw fat salaries. Many government schools have very low enrolment as well. The current Measles/Rubella campaign had stunning side effects – a revelation of ghost enrolments in schools. The number of students given to the district medical office is much smaller that the number available for mid-day meals. Medical staff will privately tell you that many government schools have as low an enrolment as 10 students. This is an unpardoned wastage of public money.
Untrained teachers
On the eve of Teachers’ Day celebration this year educators and educationists observed with concern that untrained teachers in the State pose a huge challenge. In December last year NDTV reported that 11 lakh untrained teachers are in service, nationally. In our state hundreds of teachers, right from lower primary to college levels must be untrained.
In the state there are only four B. Ed colleges and seven District Institute of Education and Training (D.El.Ed) institutes. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has restricted the number of admissions in B. Ed colleges to 50 per institution which means only 200 teachers are trained every year. In D.El.Ed more or less the same number of teachers is trained every year. The Principals say those who seek admissions in each institute are around three to four hundred. Clearly these institutes are not able to absorb all aspiring teachers. Therefore, to clear the backlog will take years.
No doubt education in the state needs a revolution or a reformation. But who are the revolutionaries or reformers? Who will ensure that unpunctual and irregular teachers are taken to task? Who will take immediate steps to appoint full-fledged heads in educational institutions? Who will have the guts to utilise the under worked teachers? Who will fight for creating of one Teachers’ Training Institute in each district? Who will dare to order a periodical auditing of the functioning of Government schools? Will it be the Government as a whole? Will it be the Chief Minister? Can we expect the Education Minister to do it? Will the job be given to the top level education officers? I sympathise with the Education Minister if he does not know from where to begin to improve education in the state. But one has to begin from somewhere. Perhaps reforming the teacher himself may be a good launching point. But the question remains: Who will be the Reformer?