Konyak Students’ Union seeks immediate redress to Wakching college teacher shortage

DIMAPUR — Reacting to the chief minister’s recent statement on the enrolment at New Model College, Wakching, the Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has issued a statement criticising the government’s inaction in addressing severe teacher shortage at the college.

In a press release issued on Monday, the KSU highlighted that despite the college’s inauguration in 2019, it has been unable to function effectively due to a lack of qualified faculty.

“The foundation stone for the college was laid on 27th June 2015 and the institution was formally inaugurated on 3rd February 2019. Despite this early promise, 5 years elapsed without substantial progress, and only after persistent demands and pleas from the Konyak Students’ Union did the government take action in 2023. The lone science college in the area was finally set to open with only Principal, but with no teaching faculty in place, the institution could hardly fulfil its intended purpose”, it said.

Related: Disappointing enrolment in science at Wakching College—Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio 

According to the KSU, students chose not to enrol in the college as it lacked teachers for core subjects like Biology, Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry.

“Only two students initially enrolled and were subsequently transferred to Kohima Science College (KSC). This academic year (2024), several students expressed interest in joining but again, without teachers for essential subjects, the situation remains bleak. Currently, the college has only managed to admit 7 students in Botany and Zoology, a stark indicator of the college’s inability to offer a full science curriculum”, it said.

The KSU pointed out that the absence of teachers in core subjects is solely due to the government’s failure to fulfil its responsibility, and questioned whether it is reasonable to expect students to enrol in an institution without adequate teaching staff.

Emphasising that it is the government’s duty to ensure faculty appointments are made prior to the start of each academic session, it asserted that the “government’s neglect has directly hindered the academic growth of aspiring students and left the college effectively non-functional.”

The recent appointment of only two Assistant Professors at the New Model College underscores this lack of commitment, further affecting students’ career prospects and academic progress, the union stated. It also said that the college has no staff quarters, leading to hardships for the newly appointed faculty.

The KSU urged the government to take full responsibility for the ongoing challenges at the college. It called for immediate action to ensure that all necessary subject teachers are posted, allowing the college to function as envisioned and fulfil its mandate of providing quality science education in the region.