TORU, Nov 21: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday lamented the deterioration of the quality of education in the state, and called for adopting urgent measures to improve it.
“Education quality in the state has deteriorated in recent years… and the no-detention policy has had a damaging effect on education quality,” the CM said, addressing the function to celebrate the golden jubilee of the government secondary school here in Papum Pare district.
The deterioration has been occurring “despite increased funding for infrastructures and creation of numerous posts for teachers under the SSA,” he said.
Congratulating the school on completing 50 years of its establishment, Khandu said “for quality education, parents, students and teachers must work together.”
Describing teachers as “the most important educational resource and a critical determinant of quality,” the CM said this is why the government teachers are paid the best salaries, compared to teachers in private schools.
“However, government schools have failed to match with private schools in terms of output,” Khandu said, and urged government teachers to be more responsible.
He also advocated “increased engagement of parents in producing quality learning environment.”
Stating that there is need for mapping the schools across the state to close down schools running without adequate numbers of students, the chief minister said “clubbing of all such schools would make use of existing resources effectively.”
Khandu earlier inaugurated the health and wellness centre of the primary health centre here, and inspected the facilities.
He urged the authority to ensure “strict presence of all staffs and officers.”
Ninety-three health and wellness centres have been made operational in seven districts of Arunachal so far, the CM said, adding that “another 96 are in the process of being upgraded in all the districts by March 2020.”
Among others, former CM and Sagalee MLA Nabam Tuki, Education Minister Taba Tedir, and MLAs Tana Hali Tara and Wanglin Lowangdong were present at the function.
Tuki and Tedir also spoke. (CMO)
