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Parliamentary Secretary, Deo Nukhu, during a press conference at his office chamber in Kohima on May 15.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 15 (EMN): Parliamentary Secretary of Higher & Technical Education, Deo Nukhu, today said it is not only the Eastern Nagaland but the whole of the State that is suffering due to insufficient posting of teachers in various subjects.
Responding to news report under caption ‘Only one teacher running departments in Eastern Nagaland,’ as alleged by the Eastern Nagaland College Students’ Union (ENCSU), Nukhu has termed the news items ‘not true.’ He said this during a press conference at his office chamber at Secretariat, Kohima.
While stating that the department of Higher & Technical Education is not very happy with shortage of teachers, Nukhu said ‘it is not only in the Eastern Naga areas, but most of the colleges in the State does not have sufficient teachers.’ He said teachers are required not only in Eastern Naga areas but the whole State.
In this connection, he informed that the Department of Higher & Technical Education has submitted 2-3 proposals to the State government for creation of more posts of teachers in various schools and colleges. However, due to fund constraints, the government was not able to create the posts.
He also informed that the department is facing problem in posting of principals for the last one and half year because of a court case between the PhD and non PhD teachers wherein as per UGC regulations 2010 only the PhD are eligible to become the principal of a college.
In the process of going to the court for about four times demanding equal ratio between the PhD and non PhD, Nukhu said the court was not able to definitely decide adding the dispensation was left to the department to decide.
Nukhu said it is not only in Eastern Nagaland but colleges in Longleng, Kiphire, Mon, Phek and Peren do not have principals.
Although the department managed to appoint principals in all these colleges, who were supposed to join their respective posting last month, he said three appointed associate professors refused to join as principals.
Nukhu was grateful to the Chief Secretary for approving the required number of teachers in different colleges. He said about 140 posts have been approved though it was yet to complete the necessary formalities and that the department is working hard on it.
On the ENCSU statement that ‘no college will be allowed to function without sufficient teachers from next semester,’ Nukhu, while disagreeing, opined that it is not the duty of a students’ body to impose on things like that. Nukhu further maintained that it is not appropriate for a students’ body to make such statement when the department is trying its best to provide sufficient number of teachers. He appealed the students’ body to understand the practical difficulties faced by the department.
Also clarifying on the recently designated principal of Yingli College, who was transferred from Sao Chang College but could not join the college due to ill health, Nukhu said he has asked the Directorate for alternative arrangement.
On the provision of a new bus to Zisaji College, Nukhu said the department has already sanctioned money for the procurement of the bus, wherein payment was already made to the company. However, he said the department could not deliver the bus as there was no driver at the moment. However, he said the proposed appointment of driver and a conductor on fixed pay contingency basis was unfortunately turned down by the chief secretary when the file was sent for approval.
He added that discussion is on for deployment of bus drivers and conductors for all the colleges. ‘If the purchase of bus and appointment of drivers and conductors is permitted by the government, we hope to have more buses and drivers in the near future,’ he said.
Although the policy of the Government of India was to grant atleast 5% of the State total budget to higher education, he lamented that the department was allotted only 0.06% of the total budget.
The parliamentary secretary also informed that to encourage students to take up maths and science, the State government has setting up a ‘Model Degree College’ at Wakching under Mon district. He said the academic session is expected to start by next academic session 2018-19 as the building is nearing completion.
Meanwhile to explore the possibility of sending Naga students to study technical and professional studies, the parliamentary secretary is scheduled to visit Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab and Thappar University in Patiala along with Director of Technical Education, Deputy Director and OSD.