KJDSTA suggests need to do away with various categories of schools

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 2, 2020

The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) has suggested the state government to do away with the existence of various categories of schools for proper implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

“The new NEP, 2020 is both visionary and ambitious. But much of its success will depend on its proper execution,” KJDSTA president Kular Khongjirem said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

Stating that the NEP demands major infrastructural modifications in the schools along with installation of technological support system, he however said in Meghalaya, there exist various categories of schools.

“The government should take the responsibility to ensure the abolition of many such categories to retain a simplified classification of schools. This will pave the way for proper implementation of the NEP 2020 in letter and spirit,” Khongjirem asserted.

He said the association also observed that the growing demand for improved infrastructure at all levels in order to implement the policy may face severe setback without the assistance from the government.

“Introduction of Vocational Education is an important step to curb the rate of drop outs in our state. So, the government should take utmost care to implement the same,” he said.

The association also felt the necessity to introduce a mechanism of apprenticeship in the different trades under vocational education for the students for true implementation.

“For holistic development of a child,  the immediate neighbourhood should be conducive. Hence, the government should introspect the socio-economic state of affairs of the population in general and fast-track the implementation of suitable remedial measures,” Khongjirem said.

The KJDSTA president further said that the association strongly endorses the fact that teachers should not be engaged in non-teaching administrative duties like census, election and pandemic etc., so that they may fully concentrate on their teaching-learning duties.

Contrary to the present system of awarding meritorious teachers on application, the association also seeks formation of a screening body to be constituted by the government in order to identify outstanding teachers.

The NEP 2020 emphasises extensive use and integration of technology in the education system. This requires deep penetration of fully functional digital network to the remotest corner of the state. The success of this initiative also depends firstly on the easy access to digital devices by the students especially those belonging to the rural population and secondly on the orientation of the teachers.

Also stating that high rate of school dropouts may be arrested by reforming the examination system prevailing in the state, Khongjirem said that the association felt the necessity of an assessment pattern which is reformative and remedial in nature to meet the challenges faced by our students.

“It also seeks opening of alternative channels of education to fulfil the aspirations of our children to be at par with the rest of the country,” he said.