Moa Aier
What is this harangue about many teachers in Govt. Schools not being qualified or trained? Who put them in their teaching job in the first place? That is contrary to the minimum requirement as given by National Council of Education. Introspecting over this problem, the SCERT has been giving training every now and then.
Recently, the SCERT under SSA Programme and through the departmental heads of the district has issued directives to undergo trainings at Kohima from 2nd Nov. ‘05. 60 days for untrained teachers, 20 days for general category and 30 days training for fresh recruit teachers. It is better to be trained and teach than otherwise.
However, should the SCERT organize training at this time of the year? Why not next year or any year at the beginning of the academic session for the sake of humanity? I beg to disagree on this. Few reasons are to be taken into consideration.
First of all, the allotment of free Text Books could be completed only during July and August month. That was also without the syl1abus. The general syl1abus from the board or SCERT is required to maintain uniformity in a11 the Govt. Schools making use of the SCERT text books. Then, the contents of those text books were very heavy that even if it had been distributed in time, the students as wel1 as the subject teachers would have faced hel1 of a lot of problem trying to cover up the course.
At this time of indecision, the Nagaland Board of School Education had served circular that it would not conduct board exam ‘05 for class 8. The reason being best known to the NBSE and the SCERT. Later, the NBSE did decide to conduct the ESLC Exam for class 8, probably after solving the differences with the SCERT. By the middle of the year, the SCERT published and circulated to the schools a hand book on curriculum and syl1abus for class 5 to 8 with few omissions from the original text. Well the schools were obliged to follow suit hurriedly. Hurriedly, because of the time constraint.
Much, much later, a new syllabus for class 8 course was issued by the NBSE, during the August, September months when many schools had already started or finished the 2nd Terminal Exam. Much to the frustrations of teachers and the students, the two syllabi did not tally and a good deal of time is wasted. How many times should a school take back the order or information given to the students in one academic year? How many times should a syllabus be changed in a year’s time? The teachers are overwhelmed with indecision.
Since all the schools are examination oriented, how much time may have been wasted by teachers & students? Just imagine the classroom situation, especially those schools having class 8 board exam beginning from the 22nd of November 2005.
Another point to ponder is; the final exam as well as Christmas is approaching fast and apart from one’s professional duty as teacher at school, he or she has to think about one’s home and kids who have their exam too and need looking after.
At this juncture, I am totally perplexed and astounded when in compliance to the National Education Councils; the teachers are being summoned to undergo training from 2nd November 2005 for 60 days at Kohima. Should the teachers leave the school and students at their own peril and attend the training, when their attentions are needed the most. Remember, there are many Govt. Schools running with “below 5 (five)” teachers!!
To sum up, let me quote a slogan: ‘Let the disparity in the teachers’ strength and position in the schools of Nagaland be set right.
When it is done, the various National and State level sponsored schemes viz: SSA, EBRC, Communatization, etc. and trainings being given shall bear fruits. And the question over the problem of Govt. Schools not being able to provide quality Education shall not arise. I am with the teachers all the way.
(The writer is SIS, Mokokchung)
