Condition of school buildings in the Yimchungrü areas (Photos Courtesy: YAA)
‘Zero tolerance’ policy towards proxy teachers
Tuensang, May 30 (MExN): The Yimchungrü Akherü Arihako (YAA) has expressed that biometric recording of attendance each day will “go a long way” to eradicate ‘proxy’ teaching and enhance the regularity of teachers.
This was stated by the YAA in a press statement from its President, S Yansomong Yimchunger, and General Secretary, Achung Jangleh, after the team undertook a month-long education tour from April 22 to May 17. They visited all educational institutions under its jurisdiction, apart from surveying public health facilities and other ongoing developmental works.
The YAA resolved to stand firm on “zero tolerance” towards proxy teachers and “no work, no pay” policy to be enforced in all the schools under its jurisdiction.
“With regard to those teachers undergoing professional course, no official communication/permission order was available in all the schools during the visit,” the students’ body informed.
The YAA, it stated, will “construe those cases as ‘truant’ in the event of failure to produce office order,” while also resolving that “those teachers keeping ‘proxy’ and ‘truant’ teachers would be dealt with punitive action as deemed.”
While acknowledging the works of “genuine” teachers who live and teach in remote areas despite difficult conditions, the YAA asked teachers who are “not so interested” in their jobs to “resign immediately on moral ground.”
The body also highlighted the “acute shortages of teachers in almost all the schools visited particularly subject teachers which is primarily responsible for poor result.”
Poor infrastructure
Almost all school buildings in the Yimchungrü region were constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
“The schools (mostly GPS) are now haphazardly functioning in dilapidated and some in precarious condition,” stated the YAA asking the government to construct “new school buildings, do major repair and renovation works, class room extension, ample playground, separate office and staff room, library, laboratory and separate lavatory for boys and girls.”
Re-think communitisation
The YAA observed that the School Management Committee (SMC)/Communitisation in the present form is “moribund as there are many loopholes, overlapping and curtailment of powers/responsibilities and duties between the Department concerned and the Community, resulting in poor management of the schools.”
The students’ body expressed that communitisation should either be lifted in toto and the Department should take over or re-structure/re-organize the present implementation/enforcement by the SMC.
The YAA noted that “community participation is negligible/nil especially in the rural areas.” But, it acknowledged, “community mobilization at the grass-root level in the form of sensitization/awareness program is imperative as ‘quality education’ can never be achieved without community participation.”
In this regard, the YAA has submitted a representation to the Nagaland State Directorate of School Education and hoped that it will take cognizance of the points and “initiate necessary remedial measures in bringing about a ‘paradigm shift’ in the educational system.”
Office of profit
The YAA also highlighted that “some individuals are clandestinely holding multiple offices of profits engaged in both government & private sector or in different department/districts.”
“YAA has seriously viewed the matter as ‘illegal’ and shall not tolerate such practices and ask all concerned to voluntarily resign on their own immediately,” it alerted.
