Rollback will severely affect students: Jemino

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sep 17: United Democratic Party (UDP) general secretary and former Nongthymmai legislator Jemino Mawthoh has opined that rolling back the decision to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) will have serious ramifications for the students’ community of the state.

“Reverting or roll back of decision will have serious ramifications for the student community. Let us put the interest of the students first,” Mawthoh said in a statement issued today.

This came in the wake of the demand made by the North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) and Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) to roll back decision to implement the NEP.

“With the State Education Commission in place, we can articulate the problems and concerns shared by all institutions and stakeholders and then move forward,” he said.

Stating that almost all colleges have gone ahead with the implementation of the NEP, Mawthoh said, “Principal’s council have agreed upon the implementation. No colleges have sought for deferment of implementation.”

“I share the concerns of other stakeholders and teachers organisation as they are genuine but we need to iron out the difficulties faced by institutions,” he said while adding “In a transition there will be problems, but we need to take up the challenges head on. We cannot afford to lag behind.”

Further, Mawthoh said that considering the dismal performance in the education sector, “we need to take this opportunity to capitalize from crisis into opportunity”.

He said the State has not been able to implement Choice Based Credit System at the undergraduate level since 2016 adding “And, therefore, we have less major papers as  compared to other institutions in the country.”

“Students seeking admission in other states finds difficulty due to this and also difficulty in appearing for CUET and other competitive exams. Therefore, undergraduate needs reforms,” the former legislator said.

“If we have to build a house, we should not wait for the roads, electricity, water connection to come first. We build the house and simultaneously push for the road, water, electricity..this is always the case of Meghalaya,” he added.

Meghalaya Deputy CM counters Himanta’s statement; Says Mukroh is part of Meghalaya

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 13: Countering the claim made by the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya territory.

ALSO READ: Meghalaya Budget Session to commence from March 20

“Our stand is very clear that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya. Even till this moment it is under the possession of Meghalaya,” Tynsong told reporters.

ALSO READ:

He was reacting to Sarma’s statement informing the Assam Assembly that Mukroh is within the boundary of Assam and is under the jurisdiction of the West Karbi Anglong district.

On November 22, last year six persons including five Khasi villagers and one Assam forest guard were killed in an unprovoked firing by the Assam police at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills District.

When asked, Tynsong said, “I don’t know why such a statement was made by the Assam CM because now we are in the process of stepping into the second phase of talk. I personally feel he should not say that. It is very unfortunate if he had made the statement inside the House,” while reiterating “But let me tell you one more thing very clearly that Mukroh area falls under Meghalaya.”

The deputy chief minister ruled out that the state government will shoot a protest letter to the Assam government and said, “Not necessarily because the talk will start again so just wait for that.”

He informed that the government is working out on priority to reconstitute the regional committees to take the second phase of border talks forward for resolving the remaining six areas of difference shared between the two states.

“We have already made it very clear to the people of the state that the second phase of talks will start very soon so will work accordingly,” Tynsong said.

On March 29, last year a memorandum of understanding was signed between Assam and Meghalaya in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah ending the dispute in six of the twelve areas of difference.