GUWAHATI:
The government has decided to convert Assamese medium schools to Garo medium in Garo-dominated areas of Assam’s Kamrup and Goalpara districts.
The decision was taken after a meeting between Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu and representatives of Garo Sahitya Sabha (GSS), Garo Students Union-Assam state Zone (GSU-ASZ) in the presence of senior officials of elementary, secondary and higher education departments at Janata Bhawan, on February 23.
Following the decision, Pegu urged the delegation to submit the list of the schools which are to be converted from the Assamese medium to Garo Medium LP and ME schools along with another list of schools that are to be upgraded from high schools to higher secondary level.
The two Garo organisations had earlier on December 31, 2021, submitted a memorandum to Pegu during his visit to Gohalkona village in Kamrup district, urging him to consider the same for the betterment of the community.
Among other things, several education-related problems faced by the Garo community living in Assam, including lack of Garo teachers in LP, ME and High schools, non-availability of Garo (MIL) books, reintroduction of Garo MIL at degree level, introduction of Garo subject at post-graduate level under Guwahati University, were also discussed.
While Pegu assured the groups that a Garo language teacher will be appointed in the Dudhnoi BTC, he, however, turned down the demand for provincialisation of the existing venture LP, ME and high schools lying in the Garo areas of Assam saying the matter is now “a closed chapter”.
Pegu also assured that vacancies in Garo medium LP and ME schools will be filled up within a short time, and that the Garo MIL free textbooks for Class XI will be made available soon.
Addressing the demand to introduce Garo language at college and PG level, the minister said that he would look into the matter and asked the members of the delegation to submit the syllabi from the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) at the earliest.
In the meeting, the GSU was represented by its president Foldin Marak, general secretary Kronel Sangma, vice president Sengman Areng, chief adviser Tharsush Koksi Sangma, and the GSS was represented by its president Soroj Jambil Sangma and general secretary John Carry Sangma.