ITANAGAR, 18 Jan: The Galo Students’ Union (GSU) conducted a weeklong ‘educational-tour-cum-awareness campaign’, themed ‘Kaju school inlaju’ (Lets go to school) in “Galo concentrated areas,” with the aim of creating awareness on HIV/AIDS, the drug menace, and misuse of social media, Jumge Pale, the MD of digital media house Arunachal Informer, informed in a release.
During the campaign, GSU members interacted with the heads of various government schools and collected information regarding the problems affecting the teaching-learning process, such as shortage of subject teachers; dilapidated condition of teachers’ quarters; lack of proper hostels; absence of boundary walls around schools; unhealthy meals being served to the students; lack of laboratory equipment and chemicals; and shortage of electronic equipment to run smart classes, the release stated.
“There are some Samaritans, like NGOs and like-minded public, who have voluntarily contributed and constructed teachers’ quarters and library halls, and provided laboratory equipment to the needy students,” Pale said, acknowledging their yeomen service.
“While appreciating such noble gesture, it is to be noted that some people are responsible for the lack of development, and are creating hindrances. The government provides developmental schemes for schools but, due to ownership claim of land, most of the developmental activities remain halted. People need to change their mindset, and political intervention on transfer and posting should be stopped,” the release said.
It, however, highlighted that “the government often asserts that top priority is being given to the education sector,” and sought to know whether such assertions are mere lip service.
The release added: “The central and the state governments provide scholarship and stipend to students, but has anyone received scholarship without protest and dharna? Why do students have to hit the streets to get their scholarship disbursed? Why do unions like the AAPSU and the ANSU have to intervene every time for disbursement? Isn’t it the competent authority’s responsibility to disburse them on time?”
“Guest teachers were recruited under the MMSKY to meet the shortage of teachers, but their honorariums were not given on time, which led to the resignation of many teachers in various districts,” Pale said, adding that “the honorarium was disbursed after five months, only after the AAPSU and the media’s intervention.”
“Witnessing such pathetic scenario of the education sector, it discourages many students. Therefore, the competent authority may please draw focus on the education sector and employee remedial measures,” he said in the release.
