Why adopt NCERT textbooks?
Editor,
The news item “Move to adopt NCERT books ridiculous: Mukul” (ST December 4, 2023 should be an eye opener for the present Government. I fully support the views of Dr. Mukul Sangma (Ex-Chief Minister). Any citizen of Meghalaya should be proud of MBOSE which came into being 50 years back in 1973. The MBOSE deserves all praise and appreciation from every quarter be it the public or the Government for its remarkable contribution towards education.
For the last 50 years, the MBOSE has worked tirelessly to cater to the needs of students of the state in particular. The textbooks adopted or being used under MBOSE are good enough although there may be scope of improvement under varying environments from time to time, the same holds true for any other boards textbooks too.
Meghalaya has a good number of well qualified and able authors/ writers to write text books for its students by incorporating the culture, history and uniqueness of the state. The role of the state government should be to provide adequate upgradation to the authors/ writers of text books by holding workshops under able experts which may be imparted through government agencies or concerned departments. This would surely improve the state education system rather than adopting text books of other boards.
It is indeed said to note that the Government is not showing any trust on the abilities of the MBOSE and also the state authors/ writers of text books.
The Government has a large role to play in setting up of higher educational institutions as lack of these higher educational institutions has been adversely affecting the students of the state who are compelled to move out to avail the education of their choice. In the process students from poor backgrounds are left behind. It is indeed a sorry state of affairs that despite more than 50 years of statehood Meghalaya has till date failed to set up a medical college of its own. The Government, if it is really serious, should act on this.
Finally echoing similar views as that of Dr. Mukul Sangma, I too like to request the Government to drop the idea of adopting other boards textbooks. Instead it should support its own education board i.e., MBOSE and the homegrown authors/ writers of text books by providing valuable suggestions and guidelines as we need to be self-reliant.
Yours etc.,
Suman Chakraborty,
Via email
Don’t break the hearts of farmers
Editor,
Let me extend my heartfelt thanks to Bithon Sangma, Sujit De, and Marbud Pyrbot for standing with Daphi, representing a farming community. It is completely unacceptable for us literate urbanites to take advantage of illiterate gullible farmers. If our hearts cannot feel the pain and agonies of the weaker sections of society, what good are our academic credentials? One gentleman rightly quipped, “We are literate with no hearts; that is why we can bargain with the poor farmer over the cost of a meagre bunch of mustard greens or a kg of carrots.”
Bithon Sangma in his letter pointed out the sad reality: when night falls, people prey on the vulnerable farmers by the roadsides. That is the right time for those vendors to give the unsold crops away at a throwaway price. Yes, exhausted from shouting all day, what do you think they would do, who have no time but to rush back to their villages? Yes, amidst this merciless loot, our farmers have no one to fall back on!
In the special article, “Farmers’ Parliament? Who’s Representing Farmers?,” senior journalist Patricia Mukhim illuminates the hardships faced by the farming community with a mix of sharp wit and stark reality. She says, “We are talking of the voiceless farmers that grow radish, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes and rice and the myriad problems they encounter. Let these farmers have their say and not be “re-represented” by someone else who does not grow anything other than growing his or her personal career.”
It may surprise you to learn that countless farmers are compelled to sell their ginger at Bhoirymbong Mandi for Rs 25 per kg while within some hours the middlemen sell it all for Rs 50 or Rs 60 or even more, depending on the demand outside the state? This is just one example I am citing —the tip of the iceberg! Such malafide activities have been going on for decades. How long should cultivators sell their SWEAT for pennies? Should the government still wink at farmers’ suffering while the middlemen mint money with just a few calls? I believe the government should appoint experts to justly evaluate the worth of eight months of labour in the cultivation of ginger and the like. The concerned administration should not linger on but pull up its socks to save our impoverished and illiterate cultivators who do not know the equation of profit and loss.
Please ponder deeply at the plight of farmers who feed the whole populace; are sweating blood to feed their own families. Should we remain mute spectators? Please stand up and raise your voices. No farmer should be left heartbroken any longer.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
Fate of white-collared workers in jeopardy
Editor,
The latest victory of the saffron party in the Congress ruled states of Rajasthan and Chattisgarh was in no uncertain terms, beyond all expectations as it was reportedly against the run of play as per the exit polls exhibited by the channel India Today, Axis My India, which more often than not hit the bull’s eye in its projections of the hustings. Even Mayawati, the BSP president referring to these results has concurred ,thus “Considering the entire atmosphere of the elections, it is very difficult for people to accept such a strange result”
Be that as it may, the employees of the two former Congress ruled states of Rajasthan and Chattisgarh may have to face the axe following the outcome of the 3rd December elections by way of being dispossessed of the Old Pension Scheme(OPS), they have been hitherto availing under the Congress dispensation! These personnel will find themselves between Scylla and the Charybdis given the fact that the saffron government will in all probability never compromise on 0PS options. Hence, now they are under the throes of an immense psychological dilemma as their privileged gift of 0PS restored by the Congress government perhaps since 2018 in these concerned States looked certain to be expropriated by the powers that be, thus, reverting to NPS ( New Pension Scheme). Taking everything into account, it may be concluded that the monetary contributions of the employees towards GPF and the other prerequisite obligations linked with the 0PS may be stopped forthwith!
Additionally, the process of retrieval of such financial accruals contributed by the victims may be hanging in limbo indefinitely. Indeed, a retributive justice for the white-collared workers for no fault of theirs!
Yours etc,.
Jerome K Diengdoh,
Shillong-2