STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The talks between the State government and organizations like the Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX), Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) on the recent decisions on education could not break the ice on the contentious issues. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said they would sit for another round of talks within a month.
The four organizations term the recent Cabinet decisions on education as shortsighted, unscientific, unreasonable and unnecessary. They said that the decisions taken by the State Cabinet were against the New Education Policy-2020. The organizations took several decisions and demanded the government to keep open the option of provincialization of schools at all levels, cancel the decision to teach Mathematics and Science in English medium from class III to XII, proper teaching of English in all vernacular medium schools, development of educational infrastructure in all vernacular schools, cancellation of the decision to convert the model schools to English medium under the CBSE, cancellation of the setting up of an English medium school in each LAC under the CBSE, etc. They also opposed the decision to start English medium teaching in vernacular schools simultaneously.
Talking to the media after the meeting, AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya said, "When we pointed out that the closure of school provincialization would violate the BTR Accord, the Education Minister assured us of provincializing schools according to Clause 6.3 of the BTR Accord. However, we made it clear that the government should provincialize all schools in the state that await provincialization, if need be, by amending the Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Teachers and Re-Organisation of Educational Institutions) Act, 2017. The minister assured us of spending Rs 10,000 crore for the development of school infrastructure. We could not reach a consensus on the contentious issues. We will meet again this month. We will also hold talks with the Tribal and other ethnic Sahitya sabhas and organizations of the state. We will also hold an academic conference."
AXX president Kuladhar Saikia and secretary general Jadav Sarma; BSS president Toren Boro and general secretary Prashanta Boro; AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya, president Dipanka Kumar Nath and general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah and ABSU president Dwipen Bora and general secretary Khanindra Basumatary were present at the meeting.
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