The State Government had constituted an Education Commission in July 2023 headed by Prof S M Sungoh, Department of Education, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU). Other members included Prof. David Reid Syiemlieh, (Adviser Academic), Former Chairman UPSC, Government of India, Tony T C Marak (Adviser School Sector Reforms), Retd IFS and former Executive Chairman MBOSE, Government of Meghalaya as Advisers with Ambrose Ch. Marak, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Education Department as Member Secretary. The Commission has also co-opted principals of schools and retired college principals. In every aspect this Commission has within its folds the best brains of the state and is mandated to advise the Government on matters related to school and college education; salary disparities, school and college infrastructure, functioning of school management committees and their accountability. Above all the Commission was to give specific recommendations on how the schools and colleges can glide smoothly into the demands of the National Education Policy 2020 – a policy that is an outcome of a cabinet decision of the NDA Government in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and without public discussion.
Considering that the Commission was given a timeline of two years, its time should end by July this year. In the nearly two years of its existence, we have not heard of the findings of the Commission and whether it accepts the NEP 2020 as a suitable policy for students in Meghalaya. Education falls under the Concurrent list and as such the state has the authority to reject the NEP 2020 if it finds that the curriculum, especially the 3-language formula is not in sync with the needs of students of Meghalaya, particularly those in rural hamlets. In the first place was it necessary for Meghalaya to accept the NEP-2020 lock, stock and barrel simply because it is thrust upon us. Some of the southern states have rejected it and adopted their own state education policy. It would be enlightening therefore to hear from the Commission which has evidently done a lot of ground work as to whether they believe that the NEP 2020 would transform the educational scenario in Meghalaya. Is the problem of poor learning outcomes being addressed by the NEP 2020 if the problem is with teacher quality. When teaching as a profession is also the worst paid and that at irregular intervals the commitment of those taking up teaching jobs is bound to flag. This is only natural. A good and timely paid salary is a great incentive and the profession is bound to attract the best minds.
The problem in Meghalaya is also that there are too many categories of schools and standardising those would be a tall order. It’s high time the government seriously carries out intensive research on the reasons for school drop-outs especially in the rural areas. From a casual glance the problem is poverty. Although the Government provides ‘free and compulsory’ education up to the age of 14 years but uniforms and books are not part of the ‘free’ deal. And that’s what makes children from poor households drop out. The Commission is expected to have taken all this into consideration when giving its considered views.
