Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha, Assam moots steps to secure tribals' educational rights

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A delegation of the Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha, Assam (ITSSA) on Monday met Assam's Minister of Education and Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, Ranoj Pegu and discussed unresolved issues pertaining to education etc., of tribal people of the State.

The ITSSA delegation submitted a memorandum urging Pegu to ensure that Cabinet approval is accorded and notified by the Governor of Assam in connection with the points that were discussed during previous meetings with the ITSSA on June 1, 2021 and February 7, 2022, besides a meeting with the Garo Sahitya Sabha and Garo Students' Union on February 23, 2021.

During Monday's meeting with the Minister of Education and Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, the ITSSA delegation sought implementation of several steps to ensure the welfare of the tribal people of the State.

Pegu assured the delegation that the issues raised by the ITSSA would be addressed in a phased manner.

These include introduction of Mising, Rabha, Tiwa, Deuri and Dimasa languages as mediums of instruction up to class-V under the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020; introduction of the Karbi language as medium of instruction up to class-VIII; introduction of Garo language as medium of instruction up to class-XII; appointment of teachers on the basis of qualification, with the provision that the linguistic sahitya sabha concerned will coach the relevant candidates to enable them to qualify as TET teachers; holding of special TET for Bodo, Mising, Karbi, Rabha, Tiwa, Deuri, Dimasa and Garo language candidates; and provision of proper relief and rehabilitation facilities to the tribal families evicted from Paglabasti and Dekabasti Garo villages in Lumding under the Hojai district, and Naipara-Datalpara forest village and Borbari-Silsako, under Kamrup (M).

The ITSSA delegation also sought a grant-in-aid of Rs 3 crore for completion of the ongoing work for compilation of a multilingual dictionary of tribal languages.

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