Deficit teachers reiterate demand, wear black ribbons on Teachers’ Day
SHILLONG: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said the Education Department encounters multiple difficulties and urged the cooperation of stakeholders to ensure that education is prioritised. He was speaking at the Teachers Day celebration on Thursday at U Soso Tham auditorium.
Rymbui informed that a Task Force has been formed to study and bring about reforms, if necessary, in the curriculum.
He also pointed out that the student-teacher ratio in the state is one of the lowest in the country with 1:20 adding that there are more than 50,000 teachers in the state. “We have to learn both ways and recognise in the classroom the potential of the children which can be recognised through intervention,” he said highlighting that the teachers to not only teach but also interact with the students, he said,
Speaking about the pass percentage of Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) which is 50 per cent, he said that introspection should be carried out in order to figure out the area of flaws and find ways and means to improve the pass percentage through interventions.
“I think that government teachers are amongst the best in the state, however the government schools are unable to produce the best students,” he said.
Moreover, he added that with the cooperation of the deficit schools, the aided schools, government and private schools, he hoped the students will be in good hands.
Meanwhile, stating that the government is facing challenges, Principal secretary of Education DP Wahlang said that challenges give an opportunity to solve pending problems and issues. “We are aware of the issues of teachers which are languishing and pending,” he said.
However, he maintained that solving the problem is a fine and delicate balancing act as it requires resources on one hand and also the requirement of other departments on the other hand.
“It is not that we are sitting and doing nothing about issues but we have to work within constraints. It is a time consuming and difficult task, but we are looking after it,” he said adding that the work of the department will give results in the days to come.
Speaking on the theme ‘A good education can change anyone, a good teacher can change everything’, Wahlang said that the government will award schools who have pushed for transformation in classroom under the Meghalaya School Improvement Plan.
He said that teachers should learn on a day-to-day basis about teaching supplements that are at their disposal and adapt to it assuring that smart classrooms cannot substitute a teacher.
Echoing Wahlang, Rymbui said, “The teachers have to update themselves with what is happening in the digital world.”
Wahlang also urged teachers to transform the mindset of students and to embed in then positive attitude.
Protest by teachers
Teachers Day was also celebrated amidst “mild and peaceful form of agitation” of the teachers under the banner of Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) and Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) who wore black ribbons on the day.
The Khasi Students Union (KSU) also participated in the teachers’ display of disappointment towards the apathy of the government.
President of KJDSTA, Kular Khongjirem said, “We don’t want lip service, we want to see action.”
The teachers have been demanding the release of the 2nd installment of arrears of revised pay before Teacher’s Day. They demanded that the government should release another 25 per cent of the pending arrears (2nd Installment) before the Teachers Day 2019. Khongjirem said that the teachers do not even get medical re-imbursement, maternity leaves besides being deprived of pension scheme.
Speaking to reporters later, Rymbui said the teachers should be patient and understand the constraints of the government.
He added that financial management has their own rules and said the government is working towards minimising the problems of teachers.