By Our Reporter
Shillong, Aug 31: The Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) has refused to budge from its stand on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and made it amply clear that it would never support the illegitimate imposition of the policy in the state.
MCTA said it has acknowledged the appeal of NEHU Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla to reconsider their stand on the NEP but clarified that their concerns surrounding NEP were genuine and not baseless.
MCTA general secretary Airpeace W Rani on Thursday said, “It is imperative to understand that we cannot, under any circumstances, support the illegitimate imposition of the NEP on colleges. The education system is delicate and without adequate preparations, hasty implementation of the NEP could lead to irrevocable damages to our students. We believe in the promise of quality education and anything that jeopardizes that commitment is not acceptable,” he said.
Asked if MCTA would respond positively to the VC’s offer of the olive branch, Rani said they would like to clear any and all misunderstandings regarding the VC’s willingness to engage in dialogue with MCTA.
Reiterating that the association’s stand as outlined in the representation submitted on July 21 remains firm, he said the notification issued to colleges on the NEP’s implementation must be unconditionally withdrawn.
“We have not sought any dialogue, and even if such a discussion is initiated, our demands will not change. Our foremost concern is the welfare of the first-semester students who are currently bearing the brunt of such hasty decisions,” he said.
Rani stated that the association believes that instead of holding secondary meetings, the VC should convene a meeting of the Academic Council. “The Academic Council is the most appropriate forum to deliberate on the intricacies of the NEP.”
Pointing out that discussion with various stakeholders might be beneficial, he said the ultimate decision should be made by the Academic Council which encompasses a broader representation of the educational ecosystem.
According to him, the MCTA remains committed to ensuring that the best decisions are made in the interest of the students, faculties, and the academic community at large.
“In addition, we would also like to clarify MCTA’s stance on the NEP 2020 impasse with reference to the media report stating that MCTA has virtually turned down an offer to talk in order to break the NEP impasse. This is a misrepresentation of facts,” he said.
Rani said contrary to the portrayal in the news report, they have not turned down any offer for constructive dialogue simply because they never requested one.
According to him, the VC is yet to reply to the MCTA’s representation dated July 21. “Our principal demand has been consistent and clear — the illegitimate notification dated July 12, 2023 to implement the NEP from August 1, 2023 must be retracted.”
“We believe that any policy, including the NEP 2020, should have the mandate and approval of the Apex body i.e. the Academic Council for establishing the legitimacy of the programme. As of this date, the NEP 2020 that has been claimed by the VC to be successful in its implementation is a system that lacks credibility and is illegitimate,” Rani said.
He further reiterated that implementation of NEP should have been carried out in compliance with and adherence to the correct procedures and only after comprehensive preparations.
“It is this methodical and well-thought-out approach that we have been advocating for, nothing more and nothing less,” he added.