Editor,
North East India celebrated last week when the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die and the Citizenship Amendmend Bill was not tabled in the Upper House. However the Congress party is taking undue credit for all this claiming it was them who blocked this Bill in the upper house. In reality the Bill was not passed because there is stiff opposition from the people and NGOs of North East India and all political parties including BJP allies like the JDU, Shiv Sena, NPP and even BJP party of North East India. Another Bill which was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha is the ‘Triple Talaq’ Bill, so Muslim men can also celebrate. But let’s not get carried away. These two contentious Bills are actually a calculated master ploy of Modi and the BJP for the upcoming general elections. The CAB and the Triple Talaq have been elections promises of Modi in 2014. Modi had precisely brought up these two contentious Bills at the fag end of his tenure, fully aware that both the Bills would not be passed in the Rajya Sabha since the BJP lacks numbers in the Upper House. Failing to pass both the Bills might actually benefit BJP and might unleash a new lease of life in their cadres for the upcoming elections.
Moreover the controversy surrounding the CAB will help the BJP as all the Hindu voters of the entire country will appreciate the move and even if the Bill was not tabled, the support of the Hindu voters will definitely intensify. Modi is fully backing the Bill to appease core Hindutva voters. Modi failing to pass the Bill will send a political message that a Bill aimed at strengthening Hindu solidarity is being blocked by ‘anti-Hindu’ opposition parties. So either way it’s a win-win situation for BJP. While we all celebrated and the Congress party is claiming all the undue credit, Modi and the BJP have gone one step above everybody else and packed all the ammunition ready for 2019.
Yours etc
Manuel Carey Lymba
Shillong – 8.
Children’s education at stake
Editor,
It has come to our notice that St..Joseph Higher Secondary School had recently given an ad for a vacant post due to the sudden demise of their teacher. Our daughter who was in the 9th standard at that time came home one day and told us that the “new teacher” who is taking computer classes for them hardly knows the subject. We told her that maybe its a temporary appointment as they are looking for a replacement, but after further enquiry we were told that the new teacher was the candidate who was chosen for the post. We even found the ad for which the basic criteria for that particular post was B.Sc, B.Ed with computer science (experienced teacher). So we asked around regarding this matter and found out that out of the lot there were only 3 candidates who were chosen to appear for the interview. One was a BSc. Botany (who at that time was officiating in this particular school) another was a BSc Physics ( an experienced teacher from another school) and the last was BSc Computer Science( an experienced teacher from the English section). All this information was obtained after much enquiry and investigation by us parents. As far as we know the standard for selecting a candidate in any deficit school or private school for that matter is through a written test followed by personal interview and demonstration but in this particular case direct interview was conducted. The candidate was not even qualified to begin with as the important criteria was a teacher with Computer Science not Botany nor Physics nor Chemistry or Zoology Honours. The experienced teacher with “computer science” was rejected but a candidate who does not have any knowledge on how to teach Computers to Classes 9 and 10 students was chosen. This has greatly affected the students and the school took remedial measures by asking a senior teacher to take Computer classes for the above two classes for the time being. When the basic requirement was Computer Science why was the candidate with no knowledge of Computers for Classes 9 and 10 chosen in the first place? Is it because the candidate was already an officiating teacher? Is the favouritism card being played in this case?
As parents when our children complain about any subjects we tackle it some way or the other. So the school/ principal to cover up their “so called appointment” had asked the chosen candidate to take up further computer courses to improve her own knowledge. If the school had to ask the candidate to go for further courses on a subject for which they urgently need a teacher then should they not have chosen the experienced candidate qualified to teach with Computer Science in the first place? . We are not blaming the candidate because perhaps the chosen candidate did their best in the interview but if they did, then they should also excel in teaching the required “subject”. Is this the standard practice in Deficit schools today? As parents we always want the best for our children so we request the Education Department to look into this matter.
Many readers will ask why this issue is being raised today and not then. The reason is our daughter and many daughters of other parents are in class 9 and 10 this year and they will be taking Computers as a subject. If the teacher is not qualified to teach that subject then how will out children learn?
Yours etc.,
Concerned Parents
(Name withheld on request)
Training ourChildren
Editor,
Our children today are burdened with heavy study material, and at the same time we thrust negative things on them, about their future, career, etc. The media, specially the social media, augments such notso positive thoughts and emotions. Our children also have become physically weak. The situation is quite alarming. Unless the society and parents take notice, and act proactively,our children may have bleak futures as far as their lifestyles are concerned.True, there would a few brilliant ones who would make their impression, but others would fall apart.Parents and guardians must take special care for their wards so that right upbringing is taught and children are encouraged to think positively and be active physically. The main focus of education has to be about inculcating habits of good human beings and good citizens. We must teach our children the values of life, our environment, respect for other human lives and the poor, etc. Our country has to bring the best practices of education in Finland,Norway, Singapore, Japan,etc. For school going children, parents are immensely dependent on the schools and teachers for their education and thought process. The reality is that the primary training for being good humans and citizens has to be complemented by schools and homes.If India is to become a great nation, it has to invest in its children to make them great.
Yours etc.,
A Bhuyan
Nagaon