Low Enrolment and Poor Performance of School Education, Nagaland

The recent review meeting convened to introspect and remedy the unending prevailing ailments under school education with varied stakeholders is a welcoming initiative in the right direction.It is an opportune time to walk the talk for furthering the scope to reap the dividends.The concerned department instead of passing the bucks must implement the envisioned plans and aspirations to right the wrong within the system fairly and squarely.The take-aways conceived(Advisor School Education & Principal Secretary,DoSE) are reviewing of Communitization Act, introduction of bio-metric attendance, deployment of Headmasters and Assistant Headmasters, subject teachers of Math and Science to deficient schools, direct online redressal of complaints to concerned department and award for best performing government school etc.are indeed praiseworthy.

It is said that education is the inoculation to disruption. If there are problems in the existing system, there are also solutions to it. Before it’s too late to no point of return, Pandora’s box of school education need to be closed for bettering the prestige and reputation of human resource development in an effective ways.Some of the reasons, causes and justifications on declining enrolment and poor performance of government schools which are being assimilated and exchanged are in reality the two sides of the same coin:

• Weak administration and lack of work ethics leading to indiscipline code of conduct, absenteeism of teachers,culture of indulging proxy teachers and irregular classes.
• Lack of efficient feeding schools for secondary schools to produce good results.
• Impact of SMCs and SMDCs with unseen and unknown memorandum of understanding to act at ones whims and fancies giving room for parrallel head of institutions. There is absolute absence of checks and balances within the raging system.
• Devoid of sincere and committed teachers coupled with loss of parents trust upon teachers to enrol ones children and stereotype belief of society that government schools fare poorly in academic performance. As a result, there are dearth of hard working students and less competitive attitude amongst students.
• Poor infrastructure development and lack of co-curricular activities failing to pull parents attention to government schools.
• Every stakeholders especially leaders of villages, towns, teachers of government schools, economically sound citizens etc. not sending their children to government schools.
• Prolong use of sub-standard and outdated textbooks at government schools without much updation.
• Getting professional trainings and courses for the sake of acquiring certificate to stay in service emerging as partially incompetent trained teachers though the trends are fluctuating with the change of time.
• Some government schemes such as MGNREGS etc which has been catering the livelihoods of villagers enabling poor parents even to send their children to private schools.Thus,meagre percentage of enrolment in government schools.
• Indifferent and apathetic attitude of society towards government schools owing to most of the provisions being provided free of costs.Government schools are being viewed under the notion as the only avenue for earning salaries and last resort of obtaining jobs disregarding whether school functions or not.
• In spite of having the most qualified teachers in government schools, there are huge disparity in matters of nurturing touch of students compelling parents to opt for private schools.
• Lack of subject teachers resulting incomplete syllabus and faulty replacement of teachers hampering teaching learning process and performance of students.
• Most parent of students being illiterate are rendered helpless to assist, guide and motivate their children.
• Irregular yearly supply of provisions such as textbooks, uniforms etc to schools.
• Early closure of schools without adhering to norms of working days and hours.Moreover, teachers being assigned to electoral works and census duties.
• Less community participation, support and contribution to government schools.

To keep in  mind that ‘ideation without execution is illusion’, it is imperative and desired to incorporate the rights of genuine teachers of school education for enhancing welfare of teaching fraternity.At the same time to revitalize the school education sysytem for imparting available and equitable quality education to prepare all students to thrive in a competitive and globalised world with knowledge,skills and character during its formative, emerging and evolving years of schooling. It is anticipated that the competent officials  at the helm of affairs and the  efficient concerned department spare more emphasis on the following general views and suggestions with actions:

• To do away Communitization Act(school education) for we can no longer be complacent and rely on past legacy of glory.The need of the time is appointing able Headmasters and Assistant Headmasters in all GMS and Assistant Headmasters in every GPS delegating full responsibility for the overall administration and management.It is ironic that uneducated persons have been dominating the spring pool of learning without reaping much fruits.
• To conduct an’ Open Competitive Exam’ under the purview of NPSC or competent board to recruit DEOs,ADEOs,SDEOs,Headmasters, Assistant Headmasters, Junion Education Officers(JEOs), Area Education Officers (AEOs)and teachers for harnessing one of the best minds in the teaching profession.In this way, performance of schools can be improved with transformative changes and promotional aspects of teachers can be addressed without much stagnation. If not,some teachers will carry the tag “teach as primary teachers and die as primary teachers” and ” teach in the village and die in the village”.
• Notion on culture of proxy teachers that they have been able to aid and ease problems of educated unemployed youth and that they are better than genuine teachers must be erased.
• To bifurcate or trifucate the school education system for better coordination, efficiency of administration, clear cut seniority lists and promotional aspects. For instance, conversion of ‘Graduate Primary Teachers into Graduate Teachers’, Post Graduate of Graduate Teachers into Post Graduate Teachers, scope of promotion for Primary Teachers with terms and conditions without depriving and categorizing any teachers.
• Regular and timely payment of salaries, benefits and entitlement to all deserving genuine government teachers irrespective of teachers’ associations.
• Schools that are producing nil results for three consecutive years be downgraded as being in practice and derecognition of schools without fulfilling the criterion be it at villages or towns.
• Internal and external infrastructural enhancements and provisions to all schools.
• Balance deployment of all required subject teachers to every schools regardless of rural and urban areas.
• To declare better performing schools as “Model Schools” that have been making use of latest teaching methods with incentives and awards.To have high schools and higher secondaries(with varied courses) at each village or ward, ranges/groups, blocks etc base on population and enrolment wise.
• Career guidance and counselling services can be a vital source of help and support of initiated from middle schools and above.

To sum up, it is crystal clear that the Government of Nagaland and the department of school education have been fully responsible for creation of jobs and schools, upgradation and appointment of teachers to various schools.By virtue and obligation, they are also equally capable enough to  make things happen for good involving every stakeholders through proper research, deliberation, discussion and debate wyithout resorting to blame game.

(Expressed opinions are generalized compilation neither to undermine nor intended upon any specific persons or institutions)

A..P.Francis Magh
Tesophenyu village
fmagh0434@gmail.com