Emphasis laid on quality education for vercular medium
From our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, May 8: The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) organized a tiol semir on challenges and measures in ensuring quality education in vercular medium (Elementary and Secondary) at Rabindra Bhavan, Guwahati recently.
The ceremonial lamp was lit by Dr. Hitesh Deka, Vice Chancellor of Krish Kanta Handique State Open University while the session was chaired by Taren Boro, former vice-president of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) and key note address was delivered by Pramod Bodo, president of ABSU.
In his speech Boro said, “A decade has elapsed since the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) has been seriously working in a mission mode programme to improve quality education for Bodo medium since 2006, declaring ‘Year of Education’ and ‘Mission Quality Education’ from 2007 up to 2020. I would like to congratulate all because in the beginning year 2006 only 66 got first division in the HSLC examition from Bodo medium but in the year 2015 it rose to 910 and the number will increase further.”
Speaking as resource person, Tapan Chakraborty, Education Minister, Government of Tripura shared his views on the subject in the light of people’s movement for education in Tripura as well as education policies and action plans as taken care of by the Government of Tripura for enhancing quality in education. The literacy rate in Tripura in 1901 was 2.3 per cent and the same is now 96.82 per cent. The statistics of schools in Tripura justifies the fact that more than 95 per cent schools in the State are government schools and as such, it can safely be said that unlike most of the other States the task of imparting education in this State is by and large shouldered by the government schools.
The Education Minister said, “We are confident that with successful implementation of the measures adopted and motivated cooperation from the community and teachers, the challenge ahead can be combated and the cherished goal will be achieved.”
Speaking on the occasion, Basanta Deka, eminent educationist of Assam said that the problems of government schools could be solved if the government officials send their kids to government schools.
Congratulating ABSU, Professor Shantha Sinha, Ramon Magsaysay awardee and former chairperson of tiol Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said that the ABSU had been fighting for the rights and justice of the students’ community. She mentioned that every child must go to school and study and the State must take responsibility as education should not be a commodity. “We must have education with infrastructure and teachers can do well if they are engaged only in teaching,” said Prof Sinha. She strongly advocated that teachers should not be engaged in any other activities by government apart from teaching. She also said, “We must celebrate the diversity and students should learn as many languages as they can and learning in mother tongue does not mean opposing any other language.” She appealed to ABSU to support good points in New Education Policies and at the same time critique the points which do not provide equality and justice.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal, convener of All India Parent Association, New Delhi, said that there should be tiol law for the private schools and the school magement committees of private schools must include 50 per cent or more members from guardians and parents to avoid exploitation. More members with guardians means private schools cannot exploit the students or guardians. He also said that there was need for amendment in RTE and free and compulsory education must reach to secondary level, which means till Class XII. He emphasized that government servants or officials must send their kids to government schools
Other speakers and guests includes Thaneswar Malakar, Mission Director, SSA, Assam, Krish Gopal Basumatary, Director of UN Academy, Kokrajhar, Urkhao Gwra Brahma, former MP of Rajya Sabha, Rwn Gwra rzary and MCLA of BTC.
ABSU also made some demands which includes more budget allocation from Centre and State for educatiol development in Assam, proper implementation of RTE, permanent solution of the issues of venture schools through a time bound policy decisions subject wise teacher appointment and ratiolizations of teacher-student ratio, compulsory education up to class XII or 18 years and accountability commission for teachers and authority.
