ZIRO, 10 May: Ziro-Hapoli MLA Hage Appa expressed concern over the poor education scenario and enrolment rate in government schools in Lower Subansiri district during a meeting held here on Saturday to discuss improving the education scenario and strengthening the enrolment rate in government schools.
The MLA, however, expressed appreciation for the School Management Committee (SMC) of NG Government Secondary School in Tajang village for improving its enrolment rate and asked the SMC to “share the formula with other SMCs.”
He suggested creating local level SMCs, “where there is less administrative intervention and direct contact of SMCs with students, teachers and parents.”
Giving assurance that there would be no political intervention on his part with regard to transfer and posting of teachers, the MLA asked the SMCs and the Education Department to “do the rationalisation of teachers as and when needed.”
Deputy Commissioner Vivek HP suggested having in place multidimensional and multipronged approach to improve school infrastructure, enrolment rate and quality of education in the proposed 18 government schools in the district which would be established after merging schools with low enrolment.
DAEO Rubu Buker while sharing the success story of NG Government Secondary School in Tajang informed that the school’s authority has created a 12-member committee, and each member was asked to enrol at least five students.
“Also, in collaboration with the Tajang Welfare Council, they are providing free books and free transport facility for students, and also providing free coaching to students who are slow learners,” he added.
BRCC Tage Opo informed that the number of schools in the district has been brought down from 76 to 25 in the 2024-25 session, and proposed bringing the number of schools to 18 in the 2025-26 session by merging the low enrolment schools.
Apatani Students Union president Pura Nado said that “earlier, students were being disciplined in schools, but now the time has come to discipline irregular teachers as well.”
Comparing the high enrolment rate in private schools with that in government schools, he informed that the private schools are good at marketing their infrastructure facilities and good results via social media and other advertising modes, and suggested to the SMCs and the department to “emulate the same technique in government schools.”
At the MLA’s proposal, the members present agreed to fix the responsibility of improving the current enrolment rate, as well as quality of education, in the government schools upon the SMCs, ZPMs and the apex bodies of the respective villages.
Apatani Women Association Ziro IPR secretary Tage Rita, Tani Supun Dukun secretary Hage Komo, and members of SMCs also spoke. (DIPRO)