Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 11 (EMN): Educationist Buno Liegise, a professor in the department of Education, Nagaland University, on Thursday called for an examination of the education scenario in the state, to re-commit and bring about improvement.
She said this during a programme commemorating National Education Day (NED), which is observed every year on November 11 to mark the birth anniversary of India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
She urged educators to take a step back and examine the education scenario in the state.
“With the exception of a few, many educational institutions are not able to provide a well balanced kind of education. Education is relying too heavily in favour of the academic subjects and sidelining the development values, healthy emotions, attitude, and social skills," Liegise said.
“The creative thinking potentials are not sufficiently tapped in the present system of education,” she added.
The professor observed that Nagaland is suffering from “markism” (result-oriented system), saying "education must recognise the multi-dimensions of human personality and work towards development of an integrated harmonious personality".
According to Liegise, “Nagaland needs to develop professionalism in education".
‘As educators, one needs to have thorough knowledge over the subject matter, learn how to deliver and need to be committed. We need to be creative and continue to update our knowledge and upgrade our skills because we cannot manage students in the 21st century by using the 20th century education system,' she stated.
Pointing out that one major weakness in the education workforce is the lack of dedication at work, she urged all to re-commit in bringing about positive change by building a vibrant and robust education system in the state.
‘Strong law needed to deal with proxy teaching’
President of Nagaland Education Association, Dr. Zavise Rume observed that Nagaland needs a strong and clear-cut state policy on education. In this regard, he informed that the NEA has launched a policy research on the education system in the state.
“The state government has been doing so well in the education sector. However, despite this success, there are many loopholes and challenges. Today, many teachers do not want to teach in the school. Many students do not want to come to school,” he said.
He also raised concern on absenteeism and the practice of proxy teaching.
‘Local teachers have started proxy teaching with full knowledge of the village and urban education committees, which in turn is degrading the status of the teaching profession. Further, in spite of the state government giving huge resources towards education, students are deserting government schools,’ he said.
“Unless the illegal menace is wiped out, our system of education will be ruined. If we are really sincere, we can easily put this illegal practice to an end. We need a strong state law to deal with menace,” he added.
The professor stressed on the need for quality education in the state.
To bring about quality education, educationists must be involved in the policy decision making process, he said, adding that educationists must be given a fair chance to provide professional opinions in matters related to education.
He went on to add that the education system in the state must find its basis and foundation in Naga indigenous and traditional ways of learning.
He also suggested that a ‘State Institute of Communitisation Education’ be created to sustain communitisation as a system of education in Nagaland.
Additional Director of School Education, Razouseyi Vese stated that a review of the academic curriculum was needed, saying that ‘the system should be made in such a way that it suits the society’.
He observed that teachings of human values should be inculcated in students and called for moulding a child in the formative stage.
On the occasion, educationists, students, and officers working in the education sector took a pledge to “uphold the dignity and sanctity of education as the mother of all professions”.
The National Education Day was organised by the Nagaland Education Association.