SHILLONG, July 22: The North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) on Saturday said the academic council of the university has not approved the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, contrary to the claim made by Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla.
Addressing reporters on Saturday, NEHUSU finance secretary Mandor Diengdoh Swer said the teachers and principals of various institutions affiliated to NEHU, who were part of the academic council meeting, suggested that NEP, 2020 be implemented from the next year.
According to him, the VC did not get the support of majority of the members of the academic council to go ahead with NEP, 2020 this year itself. He said the VC is now reaching out to the principals of schools to implement NEP.
“But one cannot override the academic council since it is an official body of the university,” Swer said.
He suggested that there is no need to rush in implementing the education policy since it is imperative to first put in place proper infrastructure.
He clarified that they are not against the implementation of NEP. The union understands the need to reform the education system in the country, he added.
The NEHUSU finance secretary also said that Meghalaya lacks subject teachers. He said the implementation of NEP in August will be a hasty decision as time is required to prepare infrastructure.
“The VC’s decision to rush with the issue is dangerous,” Diengdoh warned.
Easterson Sohtun, who is the vice-president of the union, said the state is not ready for NEP as there are colleges in rural areas that offer only a single course or stream and that they lack coding teachers. He also said that most students are not ready for the fourth year.
The NEHUSU will write to the VC and Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma with a request to review the decision to implement NEP from August.
Earlier, the Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) stated the colleges in the state are yet to give their consent for the implementation of the new education policy.
According to the MCTA, the meeting of the varsity’s academic council did not take any decision to implement NEP. It even termed the decision of the central university as unacceptable.
The association claimed that during the 110th academic council meeting, no resolution was adopted to implement NEP starting August 1 this year instead discussions on ordinance of the policy and syllabus were held.
The MCTA has sought a relook into the timeline for NEP 2020 implementation.
“The decision to implement NEP was taken hastily, without proper planning,” the MCTA said.
MCTA president BH Biam said most stakeholders, including college teachers and the entire teaching community, are in agreement that there is no need to rush in implementing NEP.
The VC of NEHU defended the decision to implement NEP and termed it as a “historic” moment for the university. He also said the university is committed to providing necessary infrastructure and support to students.
