By Biplab Kr Dey
TURA, Nov 11: Is there really a silver lining to education in the state, especially in Garo Hills? One really needs to delve deep for an answer but even then it seems unfathomable. How can a state, that is responsible for the welfare for its own actually leave those most vulnerable – its children – out in the cold when it should actually be acting to protect them – is beyond understanding.
Let’s talk about the Baringgre Nengsil Government LP School under Rongjeng C&RD Block in East Garo Hills. The village of about 70 households had a school catering to the children of the area. It is far from other habitats and had literally no shops within. For the 80-odd students of the school, everything depended on the school itself – their friends, lunching together, games and activities. All that stopped when the lone teacher of their school retired and no one was sent to replace him.
Prior to that, the school was provided with contractual teachers for about two years during the time of COVID-19. However that too was snatched away by the government with the decision to do away with contractual teachers for permanent ones.
“We requested the Education department and even the local MLA to help with a teacher. However till date no one has been sent and our children, at least 50 of them, are sitting idle at home as they cannot afford education in the nearest school. It is the 5 km away and it is a private school,” said the secretary of the school.
While this may seem like an everyday story for the many schools that have been without a teacher for the past three years, what is striking is that during this time, the teacher-less school has actually been provided a new school building – at a price of about Rs 30 lakh for 7 classrooms! All this for a school where the government has not sent a teacher for the past 3 years!
“This just shows you where the priorities lie, doesn’t it. This school had a working classroom system, albeit in need of some repairs but it got an entire new building. It’s a new kind of low when you know there will be no one to teach these children. It is like rubbing salt into the wounds of the children who have been so cruelly deprived of education,” social activist from Rongjeng, Tuesbrial Marak said.
Is there really a solution to the education conundrum in the state as of now? The answer is equivocally yes.
Firstly, the government needs to start investing money where it actually matters – in recruiting teachers from the pool of MTET passed candidates. While one source said that the numbers were not enough another said that there was enough MTET qualified teachers to fill in all the vacant posts. Whatever be the case, the first would have to be to ensure that these posts are filled post haste.
“Is there an ideal time for filling these vacant posts? Yes there is – it is now. You can’t leave even one child without an education and call yourself a progressive state. The urgency of the matter cannot be stressed further,” added activist Wilness Marak.
Next would be to ensure all schools that are in a state of dilapidation are given priority in the pecking order to ensure their systems are made workable. If Meghalaya is seriously placed second in terms of school infrastructure as was pointed out by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma recently, then action needs to be taken to prove him right.
For the chief minister of the state to make such a claim based on some agency that never visited the state would be to deny reality. Reeking infrastructure has been the norm in the state rather than the exception and there is no denying it.
If the state really is second in terms of infrastructure, let the government show at least 10 government schools with a working fire extinguishing system, a working library or even contingency funds for repairs or even first aid kits. Until that is available everywhere, infrastructure will continue to remain poor – no matter the claims.
The next part would be to do away with all strata of schools and ensure only two sections – government or private schools.
“Why do we need 7 strata of schools in the state? If the government is paying for the schools then it should be a government school if not then let it be a private school. These historical blunders have to be rectified with immediate effect. SSA schools are different as they are centrally sponsored so they can remain a different category but the 4th teacher issue and equal pay has to be worked out. You can’t go against the spirit of the Constitution and deny teachers their rights,” felt activist Maxbirth Momin.
The recruitment process too needs to be streamlined for the various strata of schools in the state. While government teachers are recruited through MPSC, teachers under deficit, ad hoc or government aided schools are still being recruited through the various district education offices.
“A committee for recruitment needs to be set up so that nepotism can be ruled out. Whenever we recommend a candidate after interviewing, the department is flooded with RTIs trying to prove that our selection is wrong and money was exchanged in the process. There are even fights between SMC members on the matter. A central committee on the lines of MPSC for recruitment of teachers would be a blessing,” said an official from the Education department.
Another absolutely essential thing that needs to happen is the bifurcation of the Education department. Currently the state has a single directorate for both elementary and higher education – another unique feature in the state.
“All other states have different directors for primary education and higher education. The roles are vastly different and amalgamating them is bound to put the incumbent under tremendous pressure. Bifurcation will help in ensuring that not only is the pressure less but the system becomes more accountable,” added the source.
Another point raised by Christopher Gatphoh from Shillong is the influence of politics in schools and how influential teachers with political backing have been making life difficult for the department as well as the children they teach. The impact of such teachers is felt in all districts of the state.
“There are so many teachers who enjoy political patronage. They literally dictate how the school is supposed to be run. Many don’t appear in their schools but get away with it as they cozy up to powerful men in the right places. Action needs to be taken against them to ensure that education is kept influence free. Politicians too should understand that they are helping create problems in society by helping these men and stop such action immediately,” said Christopher.
A case in point is the recent show cause given to many teachers in the Mahendraganj constituency after they were seen attending a political meeting and joining their ranks of the party. While this may be one case that was acted upon, in reality literally 99% of the cases are not even brought up.
Further, serious action needs to be taken against teachers who believe in absenteeism. Like in the case of Jalwagre Songgital where the appointed teacher has been absent since the past 3 years, the department only suspended the person. This means that he will still be drawing a salary from the government.
“His actions called for stringent measures to be taken but he has only been suspended instead of being thrown out of his job. What kind of action is this in the face of the fact that he has intentionally denied education to hundreds of children? The government has to act tough and not be cowed down by its own incompetency,” felt Maxbirth.
“Ours is an extremely small state and with the right direction, the state of education can be made exemplary. Political will is the need of the hour to right the wrongs and ensure we prioritize education as is needed. Meghalaya has the potential to shine in the education sector but it’s the will of those in charge of it that matters,” felt educationist Tyrone D’Brass from Tura.
A source from the SGH Education department pointed out that things could be moving in the right direction. The district has vacancies of close to 120 teachers and has 18 schools without one.
“All of us (districts) have been asked to provide details of vacancies and we expect recruitment to these posts soon. It can’t be soon enough but it is a start. Hopefully in the coming month we may see things moving forward,” said the source.
Many MTET teachers are now worried.
“When we passed the MTET exams we were all within the age limit. However due to the delay in recruitment, we are now over the age bar for no fault of ours. The government should not ignore us when the recruitment process begins else all our efforts will be in vain and we will be ineligible for any government posts,” said one of the teachers.
Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Sangma asserted that he had warned the government on several occasions on the issue.
“Why could the government not have installed these MTET passed teachers into the vacant posts even if on a temporary basis until the recruitment system was worked out? What has happened now is that many children have been left without an education for no fault of theirs. The government cannot be adamant and deny the right to education as guaranteed under the Constitution,” said Mukul.
The most impacted – the children – have nothing but hope that things will change and they will be provided an opportunity for a better future. They continue to wonder why there is a school in their midst but no one comes to teach them.
“We want to study but there is no teacher in our school. Now the entire day we are either playing with each other or helping our parents with their daily chores,” said a Class III student of the school in Baringgre Nengsil.
He is among the 50 that have not been to school for three years now. While he may not understand as of now how his life is being affected, with time he will understand and he or she will then curse a system that sought to deny rather than provide.