[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is indeed tragic to note that students of Government Higher Secondary School, Mon have launched its first phase of agitation in the school premises with effect from September 1 in protest against the non-appointment of post graduate teachers (PGT) for the school. This too, barely four days before the entire country celebrated Teachers Day!
It has come to light after so long that there is not even a single subject teacher for mathematics and physics. Also, the school suffers from shortage of teachers for both the arts and science streams. There are only two teachers for English as against the requirement of at least six of them to teach both English and Alternative English. The school has also been slogging with single teachers in sociology, geography, and chemistry. The Government is also yet to appoint teachers for environmental studies.
In this connection, the Principal of the GHSS, KU Shankar had sent an urgent letter to Commissioner and Secretary for school education department for immediate appointment of PGTs. Representatives of Class XII students had also sent a letter for the same. However, they are yet to receive any response. The repeated requests falling on deaf ears has jeopardized the future of the students.
The students’ dilemma is also compounded by the fact that their examinations were scheduled from Friday September 6. Accordingly they have decided to abstain from classes till the required teachers are appointed or posted there. What is also tragic is that the students went on their first phase of agitation by displaying placards which read “If this is how we learn, where is our future?” “We are helpless,” Give us our right”, “No class, no exam” and “We are the condemned in the school.”
What is even more shameful is that the Nagaland Government Higher Secondary Teachers Association (NGHSSTEA) had to make a public appeal to the students to call off their agitation and attend classes at the earliest. The association has tried to explain that the inability of the education department was due to “red tapism” which resulted in lengthy bureaucratic procedures were part of the mess within the department. The NGHSSEA has suggested that the Government address the cause of the delay s and improve efficiency in the system.
The association also lamented that in the event of poor performance by the students it is the teachers who have to take the flak. However, it argued that results depend on team work and the absence of one teacher affects the entire results. Shortage of teachers is not confined to GHSS Mon alone but seems to be prevalent in almost all the higher secondary schools throughout the State.
The NGHSSEA has reiterated that appointment of teachers at this last stage will amount to “too little, too late” as it will be difficult to complete the syllabus within a couple of months. Besides, the students are slated to appear for exams without lessons from teachers who are non-existent.
To top it all, the upgradation of 22 higher secondary schools without appointing the required number of teachers has reportedly caused much trauma and confusion to the students and their parents who had sought admission into these newly upgraded schools.
This brings us to the moot question as to where are the teachers when a few thousands have been appointed in the last couple of years? It is high time for the political masters to introspect that merely upgrading schools without posting corresponding number of required teachers but advocating “quality work” are not in tandem.
The authorities that be in the education department needto educate themselves on the need of students for proper education and which warrants top priority forthwith.
