By Dr Saji Verghese
It is a matter of pride for the teachers’ association and the teachers individually that their contribution to the state and our region is noticeable for about four decades . While Meghalaya is celebrating its 50th year of its existence next year, the teaching community of the state at all levels, – school, college and also of the University would be remembered and a rich tribute must be made of the immense contributions to the social, economic and political transformations in the region. While we celebrate the achievements there are a number of areas which need a collaborative and consecrated effort from all the stakeholders.
In contemporary times, the world at large points to a need for teachers to actively involve themselves in community development exercises. Contributions both from academics as well as students show a shared sense of frustration with the current situation in higher education . Unfortunately, it has become a commodity in the global economy where measurability and comparability are paramount. Higher education has now become a privileged commodity of the wealthy and the elite. How about the established institutions, both colleges and private universities of our state which have had high NAAC gradings and self-financing courses – the fees for which are exorbitant? What about the placement of candidates who have come out with flying colours ?
The prospectus of many of our higher educational institutions display attractive courses with extortionate fee structure and they rather contribute to the economy of the institutions only. Are the teachers who teach such courses offered salaries comparable to the fees charged? It is highly disproportionate. Is this ethical on the part of the management? The current political climate (‘boot suit ka’ and their collaborators in different states ) encourages education to be represented and treated as private consumer goods and as the public site for the production of skills thought exchangeable to advantage in the global economy. The so-called quality mechanisms ,procedures and audit and accreditation don’t seem to enhance the quality of education but aim at introducing uniformity which in turn commercialises the sector, further making it a privilege of the rich, not of the ‘needy and the capable’. This issue could be tackled if there are universities and more higher educational institutions owned and managed by the public sector, especially the state government.
Higher education offers the potential to support global, national, and local /community development. Higher education must open and throw the responsibility upon ourselves to the global issues that concern and threaten the life of every and any living organism on earth. We, the teachers need to provide empirical and conceptual insights into the ways in which the educational institutions and the state, in general can help to achieve and exceed the outcomes enshrined in the sustainable development goals. A concerted effort on the part of universities along with the government and the private sector would lead to realising such development potentials. The limited academic freedom and institutional autonomy impede this fundamental objective of education. The institutions of higher education need to become concerned with the global and the human, in promoting freedom to cultivate intellectual curiosity through education and research, and stimulating a more holistic imagery of sustainable development.
Institutions can undertake basic and applied research to develop such user friendly mechanisms for practical applications of scientific knowledge for maximisation of utility of the available resources. This would lead to furtherance and maximisation of the use of bio energy resources which reduce carbon emission (as emphasised in COP 26). The “think globally, act locally” slogan has been an integral part of climate action. It embodies the idea that instead of waiting for grand breakthroughs to “fix the world,” we should implement environmentally conscious solutions into everyday decisions and actions. Though on their own it may be of negligible impact, in aggregate, these can have a globally transformative effect. In this line of thought, while we had enough scientific, environmental reasons to discourage the farmers from taking up palm oil seed cultivation which was in the social media in the recent past we have not been able to suggest what ideally is to be taken up ,instead on a large scale basis.
Another issue of global importance that needs to come into the radar of educators is on the serious ethical questions of how to ensure justice in the contemporary world. The world is currently experiencing utter absolutism of the kind which leaves many groups oppressed or marginalised. This is the result of what is called Political Absolutism . It means for the ruled, complete lack of individual freedom. Political Absolutism is synonymous with despotism, dictatorship, autocracy. It is realized in the totalitarian states as established by fascism, national socialism, and bolshevism. Such an absolutist attitude seems to be prevalent in every walk of life, namely the family ,the organisation, the profession in relation with the party ,state ,society etc .
Edward Said in his book, ‘Culture and Imperialism’ points out that during the colonial period, intellectuals who should have been the guardians of the conscience of their own nation and culture were no more than echoes of their community’s prejudices, their noble ideals notwithstanding. This political conservatism leaves no scope for the minority communities to attain any desirable positions. Higher education needs to aim at developing goals to make such a congenial atmosphere for each and everyone to achieve a higher level of plateau and also for every community within a nation state to reach the highest level of realisation and achievement. The State must allow the citizens to pursue the freedom that they value and be allowed to develop their agency of freedom, irrespective of social class, ethnicity, and gender, leading ultimately to holistic human development. If teachers and pupils learn to conquer situations of domination, oppression and negative forms of dependence they become exemplary models for others to emulate.
An area where a considerable amount of research and activity should be encouraged is on conflict resolution . Considering that our region has for a long period been conflict ridden, research needs to be promoted on finding ways to build peace. A peaceful, loving, accepting, mutually tolerant society that must be focused upon as the viable goal of a research. Social science contends that human nature is not intrinsically violent or warlike. If we have to be taught to be wary of strangers, to be anti-semitic it is rather being non-natural. We seem to have forgotten the natural way of life where cooperation and peaceful coexistence is the order of the day. Higher education must lead one to be socialized to trust, to appreciate others/communities of their capabilities and achievements, cooperate, and to respect the law. We can learn to negotiate, mediate, to compromise, to share, and to bargain in conflict situations.
“In principle, there is no limit to forgiveness, no measure, no moderation, no ‘to what point? ” said Derrida pointing to forgiveness as a way to reach a situation of peace, as in Christian theology ‘seventy times seven’ to forgive. Education which does not emphasize the importance of international understanding and peace is mere training and instruction. One must be allowed to choose whether to socialize into the existing order, or make ways to alter the social order.
(The writer teaches in Lady Keane College, Shillong)