By Iasaid Khongjee
The last few days have seen the nightmarish experiences on the part of the student fraternity appearing for the CUET exams. That’s only the administrative dimension of the story which can be ironed out by the act of sheer will; but it did happen. A while after having written this, I read a headline in this paper saying -“UDP raps CUET Implementation.” I read on to find out if there’s something to be added to the writing. But, there’s nothing new; only the same old-fashioned jargonic slogans; flowing with the stream. No constructive inputs from one of the prominent political parties of the state were mentioned. Here lies the crux of one of our educational woes. Now we come to the policy matter concerning the subject. Look at the school children, and the parents – any educationist would have witnessed the high hopes, celebrations at the fruit as the matriculation results are out. But do they see the snare lying on the other side? No; but it’s not their fault. Passing such a primary barrier is everything. Even the school admins will be buoyed by the same event. Good results, mean good money; and the rat race goes on and on. Praying we won’t be flabbergasted by the challenges of CUET which has entered our kitchens? Now, as a State we have a plethora of teaching-learning challenges staring us in the face. Does the Government give a damn about addressing these?
The States have moved ahead – some adopted CUET and perhaps they would have created a mechanism to raise education to the global level. Others rejected -perhaps these too have had the same vision, while at the same time preserving their culture. I’ve seen the nerves of students from a school outside our State; they were armed with the grit, criticality of thought, and more. Those people, at Class 11 Science stream touched every topic, can debate on any issue – cultural and literary issues as well. Surely our parents also would have been proud to see such qualities in our wards. But does our education system have a mechanism for our students just to have a peep into one of those essentials? Till now, no! Only pep talks. Sad to say that here, mere fluency in English language is a criterion of education, and that also is endemic to the city only. Not a single reform was taken in other critical areas. The only direct impact we at school experience, is a directory from the Department in that the students must take to the streets shouting slogans against smoking. Others, are for the teachers to do the nitty-gritty which anyone can do. We have the online classroom conducting Nishtha, Dishtha. On inquiry I found that any with some amount of English could do it. Why not employ those well-meaning people from there into something meaningful and constructive for our children. It makes one feel like laughing at such frivolities. Another impact, hopefully, is an attempt to reform. It appears in the appointment of an adviser in Mr H.M Shangpliang. We wonder as to whether he’s cut out for the job; only heaven knows; but the perks did rain on his table; after all none works pro-bono.
This is the fate of our present and future generations. Whatever directive coming from HRD, is gobbled up with the hunger of a person dying for food. But when it comes to the implementation, we stumble at every step of the way. These are my views as one teaching at the Upper Primary Section. The CUET didn’t sneak in; it came with an honour. Now the question that arises is that even an open book exam, as one step forward, is unknown. In the end, Meghalaya will see only a resurrection of all types of bodies, but without the soul. The ground reality will be in pathetic state. What makes us so shallow as to cheer about having completed the half century as a State? Where are these state of things going to take us? If we adopt the NEP, CUET, we swallow them whole like pythons, sans discrimination of the good and bad effects. So far there has been no essential policy to change the paradigm of teaching-learning. Even if we say, we’ll go on our own we’ll still repeat the same old stuff; innovations is not our forte. Our whole educational scenario is carved out with the axe of a butcher, not with the forceps of a surgeon.
Respected ones in the high offices, the incomes, the perks, are all there for them. Life is secured; unlike the teachers. You are no beggars, or tramps who have to roll high and low for the bread. Put your heads together. We are not here to belittle our own wisdom, and position. We owe a duty far greater than ourselves. The history written on foundation stones are too facile and fleeting. After these are done, let the school teachers, admins decide their own fate.
Some other essentials – our children are taking more interest in mobile phones. The high drop-out rate, drug menace. Why these? The answer, to a large extent, if not all of these symptoms, lie in the fabric of the teaching-learning, syllabus, the rat race and more, which in fact, can be done away with one fundamental policy that allows freedom of thinking, creativity, nurtures motivation, critical on-the -spot assessment, active participation. These few would have helped our young to not just learn but also be transformed by the learning. Perhaps our environmental woes would have been ameliorated. We imparted life values which are reinforced by many institutions, but, all have failed- the reason is that the root cause lies elsewhere; this is no rocket science.
I recall the trainings sponsored by Asian Development Bank. Those were not only the experts, but the embodiment of great teaching practices the world over. Honestly, I can’t follow all their footsteps; but this writing emanates from such models. How many of us use those bullets shelled out from that arsenal! One reason why they slipped out of us, is because we do not have a sound mechanism mentioned above. The result? A waste of resources. Let’s do something, for the Jaitbynriew hinges on this too. Sloganeering has failed us!
(Babu Iasaid Khongjee is Assistant Teacher at St John Bosco Boys Hr Secondary School, Sohra.)