Newmai News Network
Tura | August 22
A conglomeration of NGOs from Garo Hills (GSU, FKJGP, AYWO and ADE) has written to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma seeking his intervention into the problem being faced by the College of Teachers’ Education (CTE) after its courses were cancelled by NCTE over non fulfillment of norms.
“The present COVID situation has meant that people from here will not be able to venture out of the state to seek admission. This will put added pressure on the present colleges in the region and this needs the evolution of a corrective strategy,” said the NGOs in their memorandum.
The NGOs expressed displeasure over the developments in CTE. The affiliation of the institute has been stopped after the CTE failed to provide an approved faculty list, an approved building plan and FDRs towards Endowment Fund and Reserved Fund as prescribed in the regulation.
They said that while many such institutions have failed to respond, it still has not alleviated the grim outcome of the revocation on CTE. Further, they added that if reports of the present principal of CTE not possessing the required credentials are true, the same was of grave concern.
“The government also bears some responsibility because it failed to recruit two teachers on vacancies for many years.
This inaction on the part of the government has also contributed to the present crisis. The state government should now negotiate with the NCTE, while at the same time, prepare the necessary documents to be submitted to the statutory body to fulfill the conditions specified,” they added.
They further felt that the regulations laid down by the NCTE to integrate other courses at the B.Ed College could be a boon for Garo Hills.
“It will not only prepare the groundwork for a specialized course of 4 years Integrated Teacher Education Programme but it will give admission opportunities for many students in various general studies if varied mainstream subjects are introduced thereby further relieving the admission pressures on the existing institutions,” felt the NGOs.
As per them, the present crisis is not for the lack of infrastructure but due to failure to provide an approved list of faculties and the recruitment of necessary number of teachers. The immediate concern was the loss of a year for aspiring students, they also said.
The NGOs also pushed for the government to ensure the NCTE regulations are subscribed to as B.Ed colleges in India have been given one and a half year to follow the integrated course of 4 years.
“If a private institution like Don Bosco College for Teacher Education, Tura is ready for the integrated course there is no reason that CTE, Tura (Rongkhon) cannot be made ready,” they added.
As per their findings, the new buildings were to be completed by 2018 but its non completion has put the PWD department on a wrong foot and led to the present situation.
“If the government directs the contractors to proceed for completion of the building on a war footing the institute will have conformed to one of the other conditions of NCTE,” they said.
They further felt it was tantamount that the government ensures recognition to the CTE as the loss of the institute to grant admission for students for the year 2020 will be a catastrophe as Garo Hills needed more educational institutions.
