Letters to The EDITOR: State's school education

State's school education

It is indeed a matter of serious concern that Assam's school education stands at a decisive moment today. School dropout rates persist despite the government's best efforts to provide fundamental facilities in schools. The dropout rates, particularly at the secondary level, lay bare several critical gaps. Bridging these gaps is the need of the hour to achieve the state's goal of quality education and future-ready skills to unlock economic opportunities. Although programmes like Gunotsav, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and the establishment of model schools in vulnerable areas have yielded positive results, school dropouts in minority areas and tea garden regions remain a serious concern.

The recent editorial, "A decisive moment for Assam school education," rightly highlighted that smart classrooms do not simply mean replacing traditional chalk-and-talk methods. We must prepare students for the demands of the digital economy. It is the primary responsibility of the government to identify schools lacking computers or internet access. There is an urgent need to provide at least one functional digital classroom in every secondary school across the state, with internet access, including Wi-Fi connectivity, smart boards in the medium term, and display devices and charging infrastructure in the short term.

It is difficult to understand why, despite schools receiving adequate grants, digital equipment lies idle in the computer rooms of many schools due to underutilisation or a lack of funds for recurring expenses. This is a crucial question, and the root cause must be identified without further delay. The present educational scenario in the state therefore calls for clear, result-oriented, and decisive high-level action for the complete transformation of Assam's school education system, as the future of our students is closely connected to it.

Iqbal Saikia, Guwahati

iqbal3107saikia@gmail.com

Be prepared to tackle dengue

Monsoon brings with it a host of infections and diseases. Mosquito-borne viral infections and diseases like the common cold, typhoid and dengue are common when rains follow a scorching summer season. In particular, dengue poses a huge challenge to policymakers and healthcare personnel. Sudden high fever, often with a prolonged duration, intense headache, and joint and muscle pain characterise dengue. In India, a burgeoning population and irregular climate changes have fuelled the surge in dengue cases.

May 16 is observed as "National Dengue Day", and this year's theme is "Unite. Act. Eliminate." Every word of the theme is significant because concerted action towards mosquito control is key to the prevention and control of dengue. Eliminating mosquito breeding sites such as stagnant water in tyres and pots, using effective mosquito repellents and foolproof mosquito nets, and wearing light-coloured clothes are important preventive measures. Healthcare authorities should remain vigilant and regularly fog the most common breeding sites.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

Gbhat13@gmail.com

Misuse of domestic LPG cylinders

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to express my concern over the misuse of domestic LPG cylinders in the city. It has been observed in different parts of the city that domestic LPG cylinders are being openly used for commercial purposes, which is prohibited under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

With the continuous rise in LPG prices and recurring shortages, common people are already facing serious difficulties. In such a situation, it is surprising and unfortunate that domestic cylinders are being illegally used for commercial activities without any fear of action.

On one hand, the government is promoting clean fuel and encouraging households to adopt LPG connections; on the other hand, such malpractices are taking place openly while the concerned authorities and district administration remain inactive. Why is the local media not highlighting such important issues affecting the common public?

I would therefore request the administration to look into this matter seriously and take strict action against those involved in such illegal practices.

Samar Deb

Chandan Nagar, Guwahati