SHILLONG, June 13: UDP leader and Cabinet minister, Paul Lyngdoh has added some spice to the hotly-debated topic of the job reservation policy by asking citizens of the state to emphasise on merit rather than pinning hopes on reservation.
“We are confronted by a debate that tends to dwell more on reservation rather than on merit and government jobs rather than strengthening the private sector. It shows that somewhere we are sliding in our mental makeup,” Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.
He recalled that during his recent trip to Europe, he was surprised to meet Khasis who were working as nuclear scientists. “But back home, people are talking about why government jobs or stable jobs are not available in the Secretariat,” he lamented.
He said, “It is important to rediscover the spark and revisit the past history and to also know that this place has inspired and given birth to folk tales, legends, poetry and literature which are among the best in the world. Once we find pride in that legacy, we should be able to spread the word around that merit is in our DNA and we are capable and have the potential of doing our best,” the minister said.
He also called for reviving Shillong as the “education hub” of eastern India.
Lyngdoh’s comments came during his address at the two-day national workshop in preparation for the G20 Janbhagidari events on “The Implementation of NEP 2020 With Special Emphasis on the Foundational Literacy & Numeracy under NIPUN – Meghalaya” held at Sankardev College.
He rued the present situation in the state which is overwhelmed by the problem of rampant drug abuse by minors and youths.
The minister said the timing of the workshop could not have been better since there is a need to instil confidence among the young school and college goers that they have in them to be on top of the world and that the sky is the limit.
“Let this workshop take up this challenge of carrying the torch during the journey to ensure that Shillong and Meghalaya reemerge as a hub of education and learning,” he added.
It may be mentioned that the workshop is sponsored by the Directorate of Elementary and School Literacy, and organised in collaboration with Samagra SHIKSHA Abhiyan State Education Mission Authority of Meghalaya.
Resource persons at the workshop include Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Head, Department of Education, NCERT, Odisha; Prof. C. Nongbri, Department of Education, NEHU; Dr. Balaiada R. Dkhar, Professor in Education and Dean(R), Department of Extension Education, NERIE NCERT, Shillong; Dr. Bahunlang Tron, Assistant Professor, CTE (PGT), Shillong; Prof. Sandhya Sahoo, Professor of English, Head, DESSH & Dean (I) Regional Institute of Education, NCERT, Bhuwaneswar; Prof. Nityananda Pradhan, Professor of Education, Department of Education, NERIE NCERT, Shillong; Dr. Prachi Ghildyal, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Education, NERIE NCERT, Shillong and Dr. W. Nikhla, Associate Professor, DIET, Nongstoin.
Heads of several colleges and schools and teachers from around 100 schools from all districts of the state attended the workshop on the inaugural day.
