SHILLONG: Meghalaya Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said the education sector in the state faced multiple difficulties and urged for cooperation of stakeholders to ensure that education was prioritised.
He was speaking at the Teachers’ Day celebration on Thursday at U Soso Tham auditorium here.
He informed that a Task Force had been formed to study the curriculum and to study whether any changes were to be brought about in the curriculum.
He also pointed out that the student-teacher ratio in the state was one of the lowest in the country at 1:20.
Calling upon the teachers to not only teach but also interact with the students, he said, “We have to learn both ways and recognise in the classroom the potential of the children.”
Speaking about the low pass percentage (50 %) of Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), he said, “We should introspect where the fault lies. We should find ways and means to improve the pass percentage.”
“I used to say government teachers are amongst the best in the state, why the government schools could not produce the best students,” he said.
However, he added that with the cooperation of the deficit schools, the aided schools, government and private institutions, he was hopeful that future of students would be in good hands.
Stating that the government is facing challenges, Principal secretary of Education DP Wahlang said that challenges give an opportunity to solve pending problems and issues. “We are aware of the issues of teachers that are pending resolution,” he said.
However, he maintained that solving the problem was a fine and delicate balancing act as it required resources on one hand and also the requirement of other departments on the other hand.
“It is not that we are sitting and doing nothing about issues, but we have to work within the constraints. It is not an easy task and it is time consuming but we are working,” he said adding that the work of the department will bear fruit in the days to come.
Speaking on the theme, “A good education can change anyone, a good teacher can change everything,” Wahlang said that the government would award schools who have pushed for transformation in classroom under the Meghalaya School Improvement Plan.
He observed that teachers should learn on a day-to-day basis and have to adapt to technology assuring that smart classroom cannot substitute a teacher but it is to supplement the teacher.
Echoing Wahlang, Rymbui said, “The teachers have to update themselves with what is happening in the digital world.”
Wahlang also urged teachers to transform the mindset of students and to embed in then positive attitude.
Later, speaking to reporters, Rymbui said the teachers should be patient and they should understand the constraints of the government.
Black ribbon
The teachers under the banner of Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) and Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers’ and Employees’ Association (GHDSTEA) wore black ribbons as a form of “mild and peaceful form of agitation.”
President of KJDSTA, Kular Khongjirem said, “We don’t want lip service, we want to see action.”
The teachers had been demanding the release of the 2nd installment of arrears of revised pay before Teachers’ Day. They demanded that the government should release another 25 per cent of the pending arrears (2nd Installment) before the Teachers’ Day, 2019.