Recently, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) came out with a five point charter of demands made specifically to the School Education Department, Government of Nagaland. Among the demands, set with a 45 days deadline, include the immediate termination of all appointments of teachers made with fake certificates, forged signature, fake appointment order as well as those of ‘absentee teachers.’ Further the NSF has asked the department to authenticate all doubtful and ad-hoc teachers and to terminate all irregular teachers. The NSF then demanded that officers or persons involved in the entire scam of irregular appointment to be prosecuted immediately by the government. In all that the NSF has been airing its grievances about, the fact is that illegality within our system has become like a virus destroying the health and moral edifice of our society. It is not just the NSF but everybody’s concern to rebuild our society and government system in a manner that provides equality of opportunities and without discrimination. Today terms like bogus, absentee teachers, proxy, backdoor appointments, forgery, fake certificate, impersonation, extortion, commission etc. have become almost synonymous with Nagaland and its people. And because of these failings we have not progressed in a manner with the potential that God has blessed us with whether it is our land with its resources or our human capital. Any initiative to correct our failings should be welcomed and supported. What the NSF is doing should be seen as part of this process of transformation that we urgently need.
The anomalies and discrepancies in the department of School Education is something that has been the focal point of concern for quite sometime now although it must be mentioned that other departments also suffer from this malady. However given the size and enormity of school education and also the importance attached to it, we need to get things right here so that the future and wellbeing of our children is not put at stake. While we will not get into the contentions of bogus teachers or fake appointments at this juncture, all of us must realize that we need committed and selfless people in the teaching profession and not just any job seekers. This is one of the core issues of our present day crisis where we find that the teaching profession has by and large degenerated to such an extent that the teacher teaches not because they are interested in developing the character of students but because he or she gets the salary.
As we observe Teachers Day, all of us must extend support to the demand of the NSF for immediate deployment of teachers and that no teachers should be attached to DIS, DEOs, directorate and ministerial establishments. Teachers have been recruited not to run after loaves of office but to teach in schools. You know there have been reports that many government schools are running short of teachers. The government must answer why we have shortage of teachers when so much of appointments are taking in the school education department? If we may recall, the School Education Department during March, 2008 had notified on redeployment of teachers across the board. Obviously as in many things this order has remained in paper only. Given that many Primary Schools in the State are having single teachers, while there are many other schools which are having teachers in excess, the redeployment exercise is a must. The NSF should continue to act as a watchdog. Full support will be required of the community if at all reform measures are to succeed. And off course the powerful politicians must exercise restraint and not subvert the system.
The anomalies and discrepancies in the department of School Education is something that has been the focal point of concern for quite sometime now although it must be mentioned that other departments also suffer from this malady. However given the size and enormity of school education and also the importance attached to it, we need to get things right here so that the future and wellbeing of our children is not put at stake. While we will not get into the contentions of bogus teachers or fake appointments at this juncture, all of us must realize that we need committed and selfless people in the teaching profession and not just any job seekers. This is one of the core issues of our present day crisis where we find that the teaching profession has by and large degenerated to such an extent that the teacher teaches not because they are interested in developing the character of students but because he or she gets the salary.
As we observe Teachers Day, all of us must extend support to the demand of the NSF for immediate deployment of teachers and that no teachers should be attached to DIS, DEOs, directorate and ministerial establishments. Teachers have been recruited not to run after loaves of office but to teach in schools. You know there have been reports that many government schools are running short of teachers. The government must answer why we have shortage of teachers when so much of appointments are taking in the school education department? If we may recall, the School Education Department during March, 2008 had notified on redeployment of teachers across the board. Obviously as in many things this order has remained in paper only. Given that many Primary Schools in the State are having single teachers, while there are many other schools which are having teachers in excess, the redeployment exercise is a must. The NSF should continue to act as a watchdog. Full support will be required of the community if at all reform measures are to succeed. And off course the powerful politicians must exercise restraint and not subvert the system.
