Shillong, Aug 7: The Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) on Monday has called for a comprehensive discussion with NEHU and the government to address their concerns and ensure that the implementation of NEP does not compromise the educational standards in the state.
The MCTA on Saturday had decided to continue with its Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) against the decision of NEHU to implement the NEP, 2020.
MCTA general secretary, Airpeace W. Rani said that the association is strongly convinced that the NEP has inherent issues that could have adverse effects on the quality of education and overall student welfare.
Rani said that they hoped that this ongoing NCM would impress upon the authorities to consider their demands and work towards a more suitable and practical educational framework for Meghalaya.
Stating that the legitimacy of the decision to implement the NEP is questionable, he said that accepting this policy which has no legal stance as it is not approved by the apex body (Academic Council) could be seen as upholding illegitimacy, which directly contradicts the educational goal of fostering critical thinking and promoting democratic values.
“It is accepted that “Change is inevitable” and the implementation of NEP 2020 is a change that is mammoth and intricate. It entails preparedness in mindsets, infrastructure, teaching-learning resources, and evaluation tools to mention a few. It is an irony that a kind of perceptual myopia is being portrayed among the authorities at the level of the University, State Government, and Institutional heads,” the MCTA general secretary said.
He stated that the NEP was rolled out without adequate orientation for teachers to deal with the new curriculum.
According to him, this includes servicing the course content, paper setting, assessment as per credit score, internship of exiting students and a lot more while adding that institutions were also not provided with the necessary orientation or capacity-building measures to handle the transition effectively.
“There was a lack of foresight in visualizing the potential challenges of implementing the NEP. Additionally, there were no concrete preparations to tackle these foreseeable issues, leading to a reactive rather than proactive approach,” Rani said.
Meanwhile, MCTA general secretary said that the addition of more papers to the curriculum not only increases the workload for teachers and students but also exacerbates management issues.
Pointing out that rather than improving the quality of education, it might contribute to stress and confusion, he said that skill-based education is a major thrust of NEP 2020.
“The concern regarding this skill development is pressing. We are certain that colleges do not have in place teachers who have the knowledge and expertise, infrastructure, and facilities to foster skill development. Moreover, we also apprehend that the transaction of this course would be by classroom lectures and the supply of reading materials, which would be a complete contradiction with the aims and principles of skill-based education,” he said.
Further, MCTA general secretary said that the state government has abstained from providing financial assistance for the implementation of the NEP.
“This puts a financial strain on the institutions, potentially compromising the quality of education and creating further barriers to implementation. In smaller states like Meghalaya, with a relatively low population, getting 3000 students enrolled in a single institution as suggested by the NEP 2020 is nearly impossible. This raises serious concerns about the feasibility of the policy,” Rani observed.
The MCTA general secretary further stated that clustering of colleges, another proposal of NEP 2020, faces major challenges in rural areas where there are typically only one or two colleges.
According to him, in cities like Shillong, the concept is fraught with issues such as transportation problems, potentially leading to the closure of some colleges.
“The introduction of both 3-year and 4-year degree programs could create an educational hierarchy. If employers prefer 4-year degrees, it may disadvantage 3-year degree holders. Conversely, treating both degrees equally could devalue the additional year of the 4-year degree, adding to confusion and uncertainty,” he said.
Rani also stated that it is unclear how colleges will be able to provide scholarships and freeships (tuition waivers) to students under NEP 2020.
“Without clear guidance or funding from the government, this could put additional financial strain on educational institutions. An absolutely ill-defined syllabus in which only the first-year syllabus is in place shows the drama behind the scenes where teachers and students alike will be treading into the world of the unknown,” MCTA general secretary added.