By The Editor
It is nearly three years that the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on July 29, 2020. This is the third Education Policy in India after independence –the first in 1968, the second in 1986 and the third in 2020. Implementation of NEP 2020 was of course handicapped by the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic which lasted for about two years (2020-2021) but even after normalcy returned in 2022 the state could not shake off its spirit of stupor for quite a long time which affected the students much. Education is in the Concurrent List which implies that it is the responsibility of both Union government and state governments. Unfortunately the year 2022 witnessed long period of strikes by teachers in Meghalaya due to government’s lethargic attitude and inept handling which greatly affected students’ welfare and interest. Then came state’s general elections in February 2023 and government formation thereafter. Consequently Meghalaya has to face huge challenges in education sector and it should start immediately without any further delay to prepare for implementation of NEP 2020.
Within three months on June 1 Education minister Rakkam A. Sangma stated that heads of various institutions in the state have informed Education department that they are not ready for implementation of NEP 2020 from coming academic session. On its part the government too is facing great hurdle due to various factors especially massive investments in infrastructures and faculties and hence not in position to implement the policy immediately. Meanwhile government is collecting all necessary information from heads of institutions regarding problems and issues on implementation of NEP 2020. Minister also admitted that about 47 per cent of teachers are untrained and facilities for training are inadequate which compelled some of them to go outside the state for their B.Ed. (Bachelor of Education) courses. Government will also soon review poor results of SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) and HSSLC (Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate) exams conducted by MBOSE (Meghalaya Board of School Education) especially in Garo Hills sector.
Union Ministry of Education in its assessment of classes 10 and 12 exam results has noticed lots of disparities prevailing in different parts of the country. Besides three central boards in India – Central Board of Secondary Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations and National Institute of Open Schooling – there are various state boards taking total number varying significantly noting for example that in senior secondary exams Meghalaya’s pass percentage of 57 per cent was very less when compared with that of Kerala at 99.85 per cent. Main reasons have been attributed to less number of trained teachers and teachers per school. This is a very serious matter and the government is to take precautionary measures from now onwards and rectify accordingly.