Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 27: The state government will soon take a call on
whether to make mathematics a compulsory subject in school education.

This decision was taken after a majority expressed the need to make mathematics as a compulsory subject during a meeting convened by the state education minister Rakkam A Sangma and Principals of over 30-40 secondary and higher secondary schools at the Secretariat today.

Speaking to reporters, Sangma said that many of the principals have raised concerns on the learning outcome and they have suggested the change of some textbooks to bring them at par with the national standard.

“Many are of the opinion to make mathematics compulsory but as of now, the government is yet to decide on this. We will examine the opinions and suggestions made by the principals,” he said while adding “I also personally feel and many academicians and principals also suggested that mathematics should not be made an optional paper as of now it is best of five out of six (subjects). Therefore, the government will take a decision in due process.”

The education minister said that 90 per cent of the students would opt out of mathematics.

“If we allow it, everybody wants to be in an easy and comfortable
zone. To me personally, if we allow mathematics to be an optional
paper, many students will opt out of it, that is for certain and that
is for sure but today at this generation, going for higher studies
without mathematics is something that is not appreciable but I think we are second to nobody, we can prepare well, we have the same brain with the rest of the globe and I think it is some we should decide and review,” he said.

Sangma further informed that the department has asked the Directorate of Educational Research and Training (DERT) to do research on the performance of the students before making mathematics an optional paper.

“(We want to know) how many students performed well in mathematics (before making it optional) and how many students have opted out of mathematics. All these we will get the data and we have requested the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) and DERT to give us detailed data so that we can better information and better understanding on this matter,” he said.

Further, the minister informed that the principals attending the
meeting also pointed out that the present existing textbooks are too lengthy, many things to read and so the learning outcome is very less.

In this regard, the textbook revision committee will be sitting on
October 31 to discuss the issue.

He said the DERT will also submit its recommendations and proposals before the committee.

“The DERT has been doing the exercise for the last six or seven
months. They are consulting the experts, academicians and students, so we will see what they will recommend,” Sangma said while adding that the DERT will present comparative studies being carried out and its recommendations.

A 46-year-old man, who was tested Covid-19 positive died in West Garo Hills District on Friday.

This was informed by Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh after reviewing the Covid scenario in the state.

“A death has occurred in West Garo Hills. He (the deceased patient) came very late to the hospital,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

She however said, “Whether or not this one case was a case of death due to Covid directly or was it because of some other comorbidity status of the patient will be ascertain at the earliest.”

The minister also requested people to reach out to the nearest facility if they feel that their symptoms are way beyond their redressal as early detection and redressal of the problem is very important.

As of today, the death toll due to Covid in Meghalaya is over 1626.

Lyngdoh also informed that the death audit committee is already in place and said, “We will ensure that we will send all details to the audit committee to ensure whether or not it was a direct Covid related death.”

Stating that the government do not want to panic the public, the minister however said in the event of this one case, the government would like to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.

As on Friday, the state has a total of 17 active Covid cases of which 10 are in West Garo Hills, 5 in East Khasi Hills and 2 in West Jaintia Hills.

Also stating that Covid cases are well under control, Lyngdoh said that there has been no sign that this would take a pandemic situation again adding that “we feel that this is not going to happen but nevertheless one death has occurred, we thought that we should share this with you.”

She further announced that the health department has requested for immediate implementation of all precautionary measures and said, “We request the public at large to kindly adhere to Covid practices so that we may be able to contain the situation and ensure that it does not become a problem. Please wear masks in crowded places, cough with etiquette, wash your hands, use sanitisers.

People with symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, loss of taste, smell, breathlessness or other respiratory symptoms should immediately reach out to the first testing centres. Testing centres are made available at all block levels, all tertiary care centres will have all these facilities.”

The minister also assured that the state is in a prepared stage to tackle the Covid situation in the state and said people coming from areas with high positivity rate are requested to take personal precautionary measures which include self-isolation.

With regards to the availability of vaccines in Meghalaya, Lyngdoh informed that a meeting will be chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday next, to take a call on the matter.

“Now, the policy on vaccines will be again taken up on Monday when the chief minister will also be available to advise us accordingly, we will then give further information as to what will be the stand of this government on the vaccines,” she said while informing that the Government of India had already indicated it is not going to provide any vaccines and that vaccines or ‘the third dose or booster dose’ will have to be procured by the state.

The minister said, “Covid vaccine is a voluntary decision taken by the citizens. We cannot push or force doses on citizens until and unless they so wish to. So we leave it to the public to decide that is why we are yet to take a call as to what will be the formula that the government would propose. We will be sitting with the chief minister on Monday and we will have a better detail for you at that point of time.”

She however maintained that the covid vaccine has never been made compulsory for the public and that it is purely voluntary on the part of the citizens.

If the government will impose some restrictions on inter-district movement, the minister said, “I don’t want to jump the gun and presume that this situation will completely get out of hand. We will not take any immediate decision but appropriate precautionary measures have been advised to all citizens across the board.”

Meanwhile, the minister also informed that there has been no new variant detected in the cases registered in the state.

“Everything remains the same. Covid is Covid. The variant also remains the same variant, there has been no identification of a new variant or a new type of Covid that will require additional protocol,” she added.

According to her, only few patients out of 17 are being hospitalized and kept in the isolation ward but nobody is being admitted in the ICU.