Editor,
‘Go to school to know how to write love letter and to propose to a girl’ (khie leit skul tang ban nang ban thoh shithi samla ban phah kylli kynthei), my mother told me in my early days of schooling. Likewise, there are many people from rural backgrounds who go to school with the same intention. If such is the understanding of the society regarding the children’s education, how can we expect to produce local IAS officers? Who can motivate them to appear for competitive exams? Is our common society aware of such exams? In fact, when we were asked our aims in life during our school days, our usual response as kids were teacher, taxi driver, nurse, doctor etc. None of were aware of the civil services (IAS, IFS, IPS) as a profession. If such was the situation, how can we produce such officers from our local community? I strongly believe that such attitudes are still common even today. Perhaps only people in the city are more aware of the competitive exams.
I remember asking students in Nagaland about their aims in life, their common response was IAS and IPS. Therefore, is our education system wrong, that our local kids are not formed to aim for such a profession in life? The appointment of Ms. Rebecca Suchiang as the new Chief Secretary (CS) of Meghalaya will certainly encourage many locals to strive for UPSC exams. In fact, she herself in her first appearance to the local news channels as the new CS encouraged the local people to strive for public exams and added that UPSC is not tough provided people work hard and allocate certain number of hours of study every day. However, as a general observation local people are less likely to attempt such public exams and many ended up with the preliminary stage (first attempt).
Patricia Mukhim’s article ‘A lady Chief Secretary on Meghalaya’s 49th year’ (ST October 1, 2021) pointed out that stunting and wasting are the big challenges to the children of Meghalaya which also affect the cognitive domain. If the writer observed correctly her write-up, mentioned that research on local children found that poverty and malnutrition affect the cognitive domain of children which is where reasoning and problem solving reside. I do not agree with her views; instead in my personal observation, the lack of social and educational motivation for UPSC exams is the main cause for not having more local IAS officers.
Yours etc.,
Aiborlang Nongsiej
Mawkyrwat
On grooming our students
Editor,
During the COVID lockdown, most of the students were without school textbooks. As books were not included as essential items, none of the bookstalls were allowed to open. Many teachers and concerned parents had also come forward to air their concerns through this leading daily. Truly, “idleness” of the mind for long stretches has taken a heavy toll on the minds of the students. COVID might have now receded but the psychological wounds will definitely take a longer time to heal. However, here the SSA management in Meghalaya deserves appreciation for supplying free text books particularly for the core-subjects to students across the state by the middle of February 2021. This has indeed turned out to be a salvation for students following the MBOSE syllabus.
However, some Hindi teachers and parents lamented because they found it very hard to teach the students the Hindi language during the lockdown without the books. Some say since the students from the MBOSE affiliated schools hardly purchase Hindi textbooks from the market, most of them have not read or even written a single sentence in the last one and half years. But they all got promoted to the higher classes in 2020 and the same will happen in 2021. Another teacher who did not wish to be named said that by neglecting the teaching of Hindi and not providing free Hindi textbooks under SSA the Government is affecting the careers of tribal students should they choose to go out of the state to pursue higher studies.
Needless to say, our tribal students perform abysmally in Hindi and often find it very hard to measure up to students from the plain areas. This fact often comes in the news. The lack of Hindi communicative skills among the students invariably stands as a big impediment in many respects. I have met with several political leaders and bureaucrats who deeply regretted not having even the basic working knowledge of this link language. However, very interestingly, we can take pride in our Chief Minister Shri Conrad Sangma, including the previous CM Dr Mukul Sangma, who not only speak but they deliver the speeches in fluent, impeccable Hindi. So, it is always worthwhile to give little more emphasis on teaching the subject that will help raise the capability of students and thereby enable them to compete with their peers in the plain areas. The current ascendency of Ms. Rebecca Suchiang as the Chief Secretary has puffed up our chests with pride. However, this state should groom “more and more” IAS, IPS, CA, CS, MBBS… who will not just come back and serve in their home state but also outside the state.
Language communicative skills should not be a barrier at all. Each student should be well adorned with all academic achievements. The intellectual splendour of Meghalaya should spread all across the country and beyond its horizons too.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong