STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: "The new education policy when implemented in the State from the next academic calendar, will usher in reforms in the education sector of the State," said State Education Minister Dr Ranuj Pegu. He was talking to media persons after holding a meeting with a delegation of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) on Monday at the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), Assam office at Kahilipara in the city.
The minister said that the government was in the process of holding talks with various organizations regarding the implementation of the new education policy. "Today we held a discussion with the AJYCP," he said.
Allaying fears, the minister said that no one would lose their job due to the process of amalgamation and merger of schools. "Schools situated in the same campus or within 1 km radius will be amalgamated/merged and all the schools will be brought into one single administrative and academic unit. ME and high schools will also be merged," he said.
The minister announced that the government had begun the process of filling up vacant posts of teachers in educational institutions and soon, the process to recruit 1,000 teachers in colleges across the State would start. "Within the next 10 days, 150 new college teachers will be appointed and advertisement for filling up vacant posts in higher secondary schools has also been published," said Dr Pegu.
Meanwhile, at the meeting held today, the AJYCP delegation, led by president Rana Pratap Bordoloi and general secretary Palash Changmai, submitted an 18-point charter of demands to the Education Minister.
The memorandum stated that government should lay special thrust on the education sector and budget allocation for education should be increased. The students' body mooted the idea of constituting a think tank comprising the Vice-Chancellors of the universities in the State. AJYCP also laid stress on the development of the technical institutes in the State. Educational institutions in the State must have all facilities so that students do not have to go outside the State to pursue higher education, stated the memorandum.
Before implementing the new education policy, the AJYCP demanded that the government should first develop the infrastructure of educational institutions. Also, all government, non-government and private schools must make Assamese a compulsory subject till Class X.
The students' body also demanded that Alternative English should be withdrawn as a core subject in Class XI and Class XII and students should be made to choose a subject from the list of Modern Indian Languages (MIL).
Other demands of the AJYCP included continuing the old pension policy for teachers, setting up a world-class management institute in the State; introducing a comprehensive education policy for the tribal belts, tea garden and sar areas; taking steps to ensure that the number of Assamese and tribal language schools in the Barak and Brahmaputra valleys do not increase; and appointing regular teachers in educational institutions. Education Advisor to the Assam Government, Dr Nani Gopal Mahanta was also present in the meeting.
Also Watch: