On Bifurcation of Education Department

Editor Sir, the issue of bifurcation of School Education has drawn my attention at a time when I am thinking what and what all about happening to this department. The demand appeared to be justified while judging at the angle of various statements given in the local dailies together with the problems that surface every now and then although I do not know the internal complicacies. While the department of education is suppose to be the cleanest department it seems to have infested with various problems which appeared to be management problem. The best way to nurture quality education is privatising the set ups, however it has to provide free and compulsory education to the elementary stage which is a pro-poor policy. Not only that the government is providing lots of Schools to junior and senior secondary stages which is a boon to poor and rural people. Hence Government Schools are indispensable for poor and needy people and will continued in the coming time. Very often people talk about poor result in government Schools and it is true as per our macro view without going deep into the classroom transaction. But we cannot expect much from these Schools as all the lowest and poorest families sent their children here who cannot afford private schools education where fees are exorbitant. This is why government Schools cannot easily shine in the result aspect and also in the disciplinary areas. On the other hand government Schools are compounded with various government programs and schemes such as mid day meal /free Textbook /free uniform and so on , coming mostly from the Ministry of human resources . Our state policy makers are on the other hand see these schemes in another perspective as a chance to divert fund to their personal treasury. All these factors has compounded and added the already confused department for which the department is always in the news for non release of salaries, free text books etc. and therefore full of Ultimatums and strikes. In order to deliver efficient management of this department we need innovative measures so that poor children are not deprived of their due attention and share. Is there any other way round to understand one another’s desire and mind without resorting to strike and agitation ? We don’t approve agitation as it confuses the Children and very, very harmful. However it is further learnt that the issue is very old. It is the bounden responsibility of the government to analyse the practical aspects of various demands put forward before it and do what is possible in the interest of the stakeholders without keeping too long in abeyance. Otherwise, in the management point of view demand seems to be realistic and genuine. In management, if man power is available, it is always good to delegate power to different sets of people and provide a competitive atmosphere to the sets .Hence bifurcation of the department seems to be really needed not only into two sections as demanded by the Association but even into three / four sections as per the volume of messes of the department appeared on daily basis in the local dailies. If the employees of a department is not happy/no peace in their working places as stated in some papers earlier we can just imagine the end product. Here the implication and the application of quality education is really existed. It is a shame that the Teachers of various categories the most respected group of people in front of our children are always issuing ultimatum to its authority for non release of salaries for months together. But since this is a regular feature in the department, the Authority seems to be so used to and does not feel a pinch even it appeared in the papers which are read by all. A responsible authority should be broad minded and avoid parochial ego. Because the same old concept of holding and handling so many things together to be branded as powerful is obsolete unless delivery mechanism is seen effective in the eye of public. If it is true that the two services entry point, cadre and academic session are different it is valid to be bifurcated as far as reason or justification is concerned. Kekhrie Angami, M.A Bayavü Hill, Kohima