Brief Observations and Remedial Proposals for Revival of Government Schools in Nagaland

Choseta Introduction: When we open the pages of School Education department’s budget, or when we compare the literacy rates of Nagaland as compare to other big states; we are proud to be serving under the richest and most prestigious department or proud to be a Naga having such a high literacy rate. To begin the real story (my own assessment) let us examine the HSLC&HSSLC Results. Do our schools perform well as compare to private schools? No, it’s a matter of shame. We do not want to discuss our school results infront of the private school teachers. Why? Why do the rural government schools chuti at 12:00 noon? Why do the government schools do not conduct assemblies? Why do the teachers could not reach the school at 8:30AM? Why do not the government schools declare quarterly results? Why not bonus be given to mischievous students? Is the teachers’ pay miserable to maintain their family even if a private teacher could do? Why then? A file dealing assistant in SDEO Office built his/her 6 storied building in Kohima just after serving 6 years in service, A Superintendent’s nephew regularized his service at the time of appointment( Graduate Teacher), An underground cadre enjoyed graduate pay without attending the school, A BED. G/T without attending the school was promoted and become the Headmaster/SDEO of the dedicated regular teachers, an educated village has 60 teaching staffs because they have many good friends in the Directorate, there are still many etcs.etcs. Can a file be process without bribe and regular pursuance? Let us not hurt ourselves by examine these facts and let us put our heads together how we survive in this kind of stumbles. Observations: The schooling and staffing pattern of the present trends of government schools in Nagaland is regrettably found to be miserable for the following reasons; 1.Misinterpretation and excessive enforcement of “Free and compulsory education”: The constitution of India grants free and compulsory education to all the children below 14 years, but in practice, it does not mean that a well trained child of an artist or a businessman or a carpenter be withdrew from his father’s profession and join the school. No, this is totally wrong. This violates the basic right of live. Education no more means acquiring of knowledge in this competitive world, what is the important of learning without building character? From time immemorial, no one cook and eat with dry alphabets? Alphabets and numerical learning are only for references of what is been practically known. Therefore; the constitutional provision is that no child shall be denied in any schools if he or she desires. Today we enforced this right to our children who are against theoretic learning as they had already mastered a specific skill which they can suitably set up their lives. In this regard, we should have enough experiences to apply” what type of children need what type of education”. Indeed, We cannot deny the rights granted by the constitution of India, yet we can neither deny the right of purposeful living. 2. No-Detention policy and Right to Education: India is a complex/ diverse culture, in this context, the low-caste people significantly untouchables were denied and discriminated by the upper caste. Similarly they were not given opportunity to study in the public schools; therefore there is urgency of providing certain rights to those classes of people but in Nagaland, such cases are out of sight. Therefore implementation of these rights should localize as per the local situations. 3. Scattered and excessive bifurcations/detachment of schools: Nagas are social loving people and there is no exception in children. Therefore, the social force of being bigger /stronger is of great importance in the schooling process too. It is pertinent to note that the department allows even the below 100 students schools in a village to detach or bifurcate into three/four schools. In the real classroom situation, it is significant that grouping for activity based teaching in those school are not applicable due to less students participation. The villagers ‘attitude of having good numbers of E/Roll and Population creates stiff competition amongst the villages (for being a Christian state) the same is now applying in the school. Majority of rural schools are now even difficult to arrange 20 members team for a game/ dance/song. If any competition programme is organized, those schools are in search of children from other schools or children who are out of the school. Besides these setbacks, the disintegration of schools resulted, the division of quality teamwork of the teachers too. Now the question is whether we run the school for material or children. 4. Inequality in staff distribution: There is an enormous gap between the schools in respect of haves and have-nots, There are some school having more than 60 teachers and with this great advantage, a teacher teach only one period in a day where as there are still some schools having 2(two) teachers having 3 classes at a time. This shows that the department is totally against the Right to equality laid down by the constitution of India. 5. Model of promotion: Promotion on educational qualification and seniority alone is a hazardous criterion for those dedicated and sincere teachers. BED/TOT /UGT etc. teachers without attending the school should not be given opportunity for promotion. It is observed that those trained teachers are attached to SDEO/DDEO/Directorate etc. Meanwhile, the dedicated teachers do not get times to go out even for those qualifications also (not 100/%) The IAS, NCS who are known as the “gold of the nation” are not undergone such a training for promotion. We need quality and not quantity, therefore 50% of promotion should be through competitive exam conducted by a highly organize central board. 6. Unhealthy appointment and stagnancy in posting: Appointment has been randomly done with or without sanctioned post for the past years. This practice has given birth to corruption in the department. Besides, regularization of graduate teachers was also earned lot of criticism. Therefore any employee(s) who are regularized from 1993 to till date without screening test/Interview conducted by a competent authority should be deprive of promotional right. Secondly, posting of GT/PGT should be shuffle in a span of every 5th year. This is because the rigidity of posting creates the monarchical style or authoritative attitude of the incumbents over the community resulting irregularities of performing duties. 7. Communitization and activity based teaching: Initially communitization revived and created allot in both scholastic and non scholastic areas. The community participation was positive. For instances; in an assembly, if a pastor is invited for sharing he/she responded actively, similarly in SUPW , a craftsman, a singer in singing or a blacksmith( in a class on Industry topic) is invited they were happily accepted the invitations, However, it does not last long. It is observed that in some villages the community (VEC) becomes the owner of the material alone and not other belongings of the school, the excessive use of authority like deduction of pay without the concern of Head teacher or teacher incharge, withdrawal and distribution of pay, school grants and other civil works were done without the concern of the teachers and the village council etc. However on the other side, they (VEC) never pay heed to the request and requirement of the school like shortage of teachers, transfer of teachers ETC. In this circumstance, there arose stiff competition between the staffs and the VECs. Thus VECs led the community to desperation. On the other hand, there are some villages where the teachers acted as the VECs functions also; they hold all the authority and the community have no say against them whether right or wrong. Thus communitsation starts and ends with VECs in many villages. Therefore communitsaion should be interpreted correctly in action. Moreover the authority granted to the community should be carefully examined and granted. 8. Agitations and protests: Agitations/ protest for the students welfare is miserably missing, but agitation for the welfare of the teachers and officers is reaching its zenith, thus both the administration and class running comes and goes with those protestants. It is indeed; very true that some arbitrary laws should be interpreted as per the constitution, however for all those miseries, we cannot always agitate for our own cause. In this regard, a Grievance Cell should be open to all so that the cell examines the gravity of the problem and consider or penalize the Protestants. Proposal For Consideration: 1.Recognition /detachment of schools: Recognition and detachment of new Government school be ban except to new village or enrolment exceeds to 300 students in GPS/500 students in GMS 1000 students in high school and higher secondary schools. 2. Enforcement of single school pattern: In a locality or a village all the schools be clustered with the following criterion: a. If the enrolment is less than 1000 students in GHSS/GHS in a village or locality. (I.e. the enrolment of GPS/GMS/GHS/GHSS all together) b. If the enrolment is less than 500 students in Middle school in a village or locality. c.If the enrolment is less than 300 students in a village or locality. 3.Upgradation of schools: Upgradation of schools be done through the Academic performance of conducted by the Board. As stated in the proposal for bifurcation and detachment, if any school is to be upgraded, the school should produce 100% passed in the Board Exams mentioned below; 4. Examintion to be conducted by the board: At the leaving of any school after attending the highest class of the existing/ present school, there should be a competitive exam to asses whether the learner has atleast developed some intellectual inputs, secondly the recognition of the children’s achievement is very important in the process of building their positive attitude. Therefore, competitive Board exams must be conducted by the board of school education in the following levels as per the status or the categories of the schools as follows; 1. GPS. CLASS 5 2. GMS. CLASS 8 3. GHS. CLASS 10 4. GHSS. CLASS 12 5. Observation of award day: Meritorious students be awarded with special scholarship and the same be observe annually. 6. Staffing: A. Recruitment and promotion of Graduate and Post Graduate Teachers: *Appointment of graduate and Post Graduate teachers be done through competitive examination. *Transfer/ Reshuffling of posting be done in every fifth year. *Promotion be done through a qualifying Board of examination batch-wise (5 years) with 10% marks granted to B.E.D candidates. However, any teacher attached to SDEO/DDEO or directorate or deputed to other department shall not be given this opportunity. B. Appointment of primary teachers be done through direct recruitment: Preferably trained candidates selected from nearest locality. * Creation of Teacher- incharge and Head teacher post as class II gazeeted * Promotion to Head Teacher and Teacher Incharge be done through central board of examination C. SPECIAL PAY SCALE FOR UNDERGRADUATE TEACHERS: Under graduate teachers be granted with special provision as the scope for promotion is comparatively miserable to Graduate teachers. 7. Vision and grievance cell: To avoid or minimize agitation/protest etc. a grievance cell be set up with atleast one legal expert as member in the cell. In this regards, Policy making for change of any educational system or directives be undertake inviting suggestion from teachers.