NSF demands review or revocation of ‘killer non-detention policy’

EMN
Kohima, February 3

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) while expressing that the ‘non-detention policy’ does not suit the Nagas at this very juncture has once again ‘strongly’ urged upon the government of Nagaland and the Department of School Education to review or totally revoke the policy. NSF president Tongpang Ozukum and general secretary Esther Rhakho in a letter addressed to the Parliamentary Secretary for School Education said “ever since this policy was introduced in Nagaland, it is recorded that around 15,000 students have dropped out from school in class 9 while also comprehending that more students will drop out of school in the coming years if the ‘Non-detention policy’ is continuously enforced.
The NSF said that since students are compulsorily promoted till class 8, no student bothers to study; consequently, facing examinations in class 9 becomes the biggest task for students and subsequently they fail to get through class 9 examinations. “It is noticed that even the teachers give less importance knowing the fact that students will be promoted under any circumstances,” it said.
“This ‘non-detention policy’ may suit the students of other states; however this policy is killing the future of our younger generation,” the NSF leaders said.
“Therefore, this ‘Non-detention policy’ must be either seriously reviewed or totally revoked so that students are being imparted the right education through proper way of teaching particularly in the early stage of their academic career”, the NSF demanded.
The NSF in the interest of the entire students’ community strongly pressed upon the department and the government to seriously examine the proposals and suggestions put forth by the federation and do away with this ‘killer policy’ from the current academic session.
Further, the Federation also reminded the School Education department on the demands of providing proper infrastructure in all the schools along with required number of teachers, implementation of rationalization/re-deployment of teachers, exigency arrangements of maths and science teachers, half yearly or quarterly inspection of schools, periodical assessment of students and teacher’ performance and other demands put forth by the Federation after having serious consultations with all the Government High Schools and Higher Secondary Schools of seven districts of the State last year.