Editor,
Apropos the report on the state of affairs in quarantine centres in the city (ST May 29, 2020), I am made to understand from my sources in the district administration, that the arrangement at Polo is meant simply as a transportation point where returnees are being sorted to be sent to different quarantine centres and NOT for quarantining anybody. In fact, most of the returnees from Haryana have been quarantined at the Pastoral Centre which has proper facilities following all the necessary guidelines. Moreover, most of the returnees are housed at the newly constructed campuses of NIFT and IIM Shillong, Mawdiangdiang boasting of state of the art amenities. Therefore, I request you to kindly do some fact-checking before reporting on such a sensitive matter, which will not only lower the morale of the frontline workers, but also make light of all the efforts made to ensure that the virus is contained.
However, it is important that the press highlight any lacunae on the part of the district administration, based on factual evidences in order to plug the loopholes. Further, it may be mentioned that in order to beat the virus, we will require the united efforts of all concerned to ensure the health and safety of the people of the state. I also urge upon all returnees to share some responsibility in ensuring that they complete the mandatory quarantine period following all the necessary standard operating procedures (SOPs), in order to safeguard against community transmission of the deadly virus.
Yours etc.,
I Blah,
Shillong
Double standards of NEHU VC
Editor,
North-Eastern Hill University has the statutory provision for the formation of Teachers association, Non-teaching employees association and Students Association. These Associations are guided by their respective constitutions, approved and accepted by the University. The annual election of the NEHU teachers’ association (NEHUTA) is conducted through the election committee constituted internally by the NEHUTA as per its constitution. However, for the election of Non-teaching and Students association, the election committee is constituted by the University administration. The one year term of NEHUTA ended in the second week of May 2020, while for Non-teaching employees association’s the term ended in the last week of May 2020. It is learnt that the election of Non-teaching employees association for 2020-22 could not be conducted by the NEHU administration due to unavoidable situation of COVID-19 pandemic. It is quite understandable that under these circumstances as the election could not be conducted by NEHU, the Vice-Chancellor, has extended the term of present Non-teaching staff council till the newly elected body takes over. However, the dual character of the NEHU administration is evident from the fact that for NEHUTA which could not conduct election due to COVID, the body has been treated as defunct. The Vice-Chancellor informed NEHUTA that any communication with the University from any Office bearer/ member of the Executive committee (2019-2020) of the incumbent body would not be entertained, as the term of office of the Executive Committee (EC) has expired.
At this juncture it is pertinent to quote the relevant Clause-8 of the Constitution of NEHUTA, “The term of office of the EC shall be one year. If at the end of the year a new EC could not be constituted because of any unavoidable situation, the incumbent EC shall continue to hold office in care-taker capacity till the next EC takes over. The matter shall, however, have to be subsequently reported to the General Body for approval.”
Now the question arises as to why two sets of rules are being applied for the Associations. If elections for Non-teaching Employees Association could be exempted in view of the pandemic but the Vice-Chancellor has no problem in extending the term of the present Non-teaching Staff Council, why is NEHUTA denied the same privilege since the circumstances are the same? Why has the Vice-Chancellor, NEHU decided not to entertain any communication with incumbent EC of NEHUTA, even though there is a a constitutional provision for doing so? This arbitrariness and double standard adopted by the present Vice Chancellor is not good for the overall health of the University.
Yours etc.,
Prof. SB Prasad
Member, Executive Committee,
NEHUTA (2019-20)
Need for strategic online classes….
Editor,
It is indeed truly said that, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
There is a need to conduct strategic online classes instead of using the online platform just for sending assignments and deadlines for submission. It is seen that many students are at times confused and even overburdened when they are given several assignments by different subject teachers in a day without any proper explanation on the chapter, thereby compelling students to read and comprehend the chapter by themselves only. It must be understood that sending students for extra coaching is not possible in this pandemic. So the students are solely dependent on online classes. Moreover, it is also found that there is hardly any interaction between the students and teachers during online class sessions as most schools conduct classes through WhatsApp by creating groups of different classes but with access to the groups for sending messages limited to admins ( i.e, teachers only). Thus no interactive learning is taking place and the students are left alone with their doubts.
Hence instead of using the online platform just for sending assignments, some strategic methods such a designing proper routine day-wise, scheduling proper timing of classes, preparing lesson plans for making the learning interesting, online interactive session at least once a week with students, recording student’s attendance according to their response etc, should be adopted.
It is well understood that taking virtual classes is challenging and making learning as easy and interesting as normal classes is not easy but if teachers put in a little extra care and effort as mentioned above and classes are conducted in a planned manner, learning can be much more fun and interesting for students. There may be many more suggestions but being a faculty of Christ Senior Secondary School, Nongsder, Umiam , I am sharing this experience with all as our school has adopted the above-mentioned methods right from the inception of our online classes and we have been quite successful in drawing the attention of our students towards e-learning.
Yours etc.,
Debu Sarkar,
Shillong- 4