Education in Meghalaya is fraught with problems arising from lack of proper planning. Educational planning requires extensive engagement by educationists and not by political appointees or ‘know it all’ retirees that occupy government space without producing results. If the government can shell out several hundred crores for international consultants why can’t it get the best brains to tell it where exactly the problem with education lies and how to get that fixed. These planners of course will have to do serious primary research on how the schools across the state are performing, not performing or under-performing in order to get to the root of the problem. Perhaps they will be appalled by what they see in their surprise visits (if that is allowed to happen) to government primary schools in some of the regions of Meghalaya. The singular reason for poor educational outcomes in Meghalaya are due primarily to politics. Where to set up a school is not determined by need but by political expediency. Who to appoint as teachers is also decided by political expedience. People have not forgotten the ‘white ink’ scam as yet and it is not understood why the case is hanging fire. Where is justice for those teachers that should have got in on merit ten years ago? And what about those guilty of the crime? Why is there no punishment ever in Meghalaya for crimes committed by politicians? This makes it profitable for politicians to continue with wrongdoing, knowing how flexible the legal system is when it comes to punishing the powerful. Only the poor languish in jail.
It is learnt that in many parts of Meghalaya, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) schools have been started by retired government officials with political and bureaucratic links. In such a scenario where education is treated like a cheap commodity to placate political colleagues in return for their support, isn’t education itself being mortgaged? How do we expect any outcomes when the intention of setting up a primary school is not based on any altruism or a demand from the community? Most schools are first set up and then other things are thought about later. Every government plays politics with education and every incoming government being too weak to reverse this corrosive process continues with the same arbitrary action. Education in rural Meghalaya is on a backward slide and the results are regularly published by external agencies. When it comes to colleges and universities there is an oversight body – National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) hence teachers/faculty/staff are kept on perpetual notice. Teachers are also subject to assessment by their students. A poor NAAC score could lead to the college/university being downgraded and they may lose financial benefits if they are funded by the University Grants Commission. Where is such an oversight body for the most important educational pillar – primary education? No wonder Meghalaya is where it is today. It’s time the MDA Government sets up this oversight body for school education from the primary to the higher secondary level. An Education Commission should be put in place urgently in order to restore the dignity of students, teachers and of education in Meghalaya.
