SHILLONG:
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that there is no impasse over the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state while stating that it is a process.
“NEP implementation is a transition into a new system and doing so is not so simple and hence we need to give time and that process is on,” Sangma said on the sidelines of a programme on August 23.
The chief minister said that additional rooms, disciplines, teachers are needed and all of this requires funds to the tune of Rs 400-500 crore to be invested immediately.
He pointed out that these colleges are of deficit pattern, which means that they are run by managing committees and not government owned but aided by the latter.
“So where and to what extent can we come in and play our role? These are all matters that cannot be decided at one go since it has a huge impact,” Sangma said.
He said that there is no choice but one has to move ahead with the implementation of the NEP 2020 adding that every college and academicians will agree that it is the right thing to do but the issue is how to do it.
Sangma said that the NEP 2020 is a holistic form of education and one cannot be in a system which has been there for the last 75 years.
When pointed that the Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) was on with their non-cooperation movement, the chief minister said that they are not against it.
“All they are saying is that if it is to be implemented, where is the money, where is the classroom?” he said while pointing out that the MCTA has genuine concerns which need to be resolved.