Editor,
Apropos the article “When Policy Forgets the Teacher: Reflections on NEP and Academic Life” authored by Bhogtoram Mawroh and published in The Shillong Times, it deserves sincere appreciation for bringing into the open a side of educational reform that is too often ignored – the side lived daily by teachers.
Much is written and spoken about policies, frameworks, and outcomes, but rarely do we pause to ask how these ideas are actually carried into classrooms, and at what personal cost. The author does precisely this. By drawing upon lived experience, the article gently yet firmly reminds us that teachers are not abstract units within a system, but human beings working under very real constraints.
The article speaks of increasing workload, additional papers, and expanding responsibilities without a matching increase in staff or facilities. This is no exaggeration. It is a reality many teachers quietly endure. What is often missed is that teaching does not begin and end with the classroom hour. It requires time to read, think, plan, and reflect. When teachers are burdened with continuous classes and administrative duties, this essential preparation is the first casualty.
I say this from personal experience. After retirement, when I joined a private school, I consciously prepared at home for my Sociology classes in Class XII and English in Class IX. I read, reflected, and planned each lesson with care so that students could understand concepts in depth, not merely memorise answers. That effort was possible only because there was time and mental calm to prepare. Without such space, even the most dedicated teacher is left struggling to keep pace.
The article also draws attention to the lack of basic academic support – limited library resources, poor internet connectivity, frequent power cuts, and the absence of proper spaces for study and preparation. Expecting teachers to deliver quality education under such conditions is unfair, yet this expectation has quietly become normal.
Most moving is the article’s acknowledgments of the emotional burden teachers carry–the stress of unfinished syllabi, the guilt when students struggle, the pressure of deadlines, and the insecurity of temporary appointments. When teachers speak of these realities, they are often dismissed as complaining. The article rightly shows that fatigue should never be mistaken for lack of commitment.
This is not an argument against reform. It is a reminder that reform must have a human face. Teachers are often called the backbone of the education system. But even a backbone needs care, balance, and rest. Ignoring this truth weakens the very structure we seek to strengthen.
Such voices deserve to be heard. One hopes that those who shape policy will read this article not defensively, but thoughtfully – and remember that education ultimately rests on the well-being of those who teach.
Yours etc…,
Jairaj
Via email
Neither substance nor solutions
Editor,
The article that appeared in the Shillong Times on Dec 17, 2025 titled, “When Policy Forgets the Teacher: Reflections on NEP and Academic Life,” By Bhogtoram Mawroh makes painful reading. It is a lamentation on the plight of teachers. One of course, sympathises with the difficulties of teachers, especially in Meghalaya.
But all professions can complain about working conditions. Being employed comes with all sorts of occupational hazards. Those who find fulfilment in work are those who can rise above the ups and downs of the workplace. Those who work in central universities and colleges on central pay scales are a financially privileged lot. But we find all sorts of complaints even from those individuals. Complaints do work, but only up to a point. After that it’s only a prescription for hoarseness.
The article in question was unique in that it was a personal litany of complaints. I’m not sure that lives described in such negative ways serve any useful purpose. I would recommend that this august newspaper limit such accounts of personal sorrow. Autobiographical accounts should be about constructive experiences that we can learn from or be inspired by. Enough of this personal hand-wringing.
The author is an articulate person with a PhD. But we didn’t hear anything positive or constructive. Surely some ideas or solutions can be suggested, however small. In the last line he has conveniently passed the buck by saying, “We must therefore listen to AISEC and to W. Kharlukhi and find a just solution to the education problems in our state.” If someone else is going to find the solution, what was the purpose of his life story and the article?
Education in India is about regulatory bodies, institutions and teachers. The major stakeholders, the students, are hardly ever mentioned. They are not beneficiaries, mostly victims, tossed about on the tides of the system. Students are at the mercy of teacher egos and strict controls. There is little value in their so-called higher education. No wonder half of them drop out in Meghalaya. The title of the article reminds us that the system is teacher-centred. We need some articles on student-centred solutions.
Yours etc.,
Alphonse Lyngdoh,
Via email
On Smoking in Public Places
Editor,
I am writing in response to the letter by Gangmei Zeppu, published on December 17, 2025, regarding smoking in public places. I agree wholeheartedly with the concerns about the impact of smoking in public spaces, but I also feel that our city faces a larger issue with the overall disregard for signage and rules.
Often, I joke that people in Shillong don’t seem to read English, given how many people ignore simple traffic signs. For instance, the “No U-Turn” sign is often treated as a mere suggestion, just like the “No Parking,” “No Overtaking,” and “No Entry” signs that are constantly ignored by drivers. It’s almost as though these signs exist in a parallel world, and the rules simply don’t apply. This same behavior, unfortunately, seems to spill over into other areas of public life as well, including smoking.
The fact remains that public spaces, whether in our office, on the street, or in parks, are meant to be shared by all. We must learn to be considerate of others. Ignoring rules or inconveniencing others for the sake of a personal habit is not acceptable.
If we truly wish to make Shillong a cleaner and more harmonious place to live, we need to start taking public health and etiquette more seriously. It’s not just about enforcing rules, but about understanding that public spaces exist for everyone. Whether it’s smoking, littering, or any other behaviour, it’s time we became more responsible citizens.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Yours etc.,
Joe Thangkhiew,
Shillong
