General conference of All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) Nagaland was held at Agri Expo, here Friday, hosted by ANSTA Dimapur unit on the theme “towards restoration of work culture”.
Speaking at the conference as chief guest, commissioner and secretary for education, SCERT & HTE, F P Solo called upon government teachers “not to waste our energy fighting each other through confrontation, agitations and strikes.”
He said though the seed of education was sown in Nagaland by the American missionaries in 19th century, the real foundation of education was laid by the government schools. Solo said expansion of government schools and educational institutions took place after attainment of statehood in 1963. Commissioner and secretary pointed out that access to education was mainly provided by the government schools in 1960s. Then, he said the government school teachers, mostly Assamese and Bengalis, were dedicated, hard working and respected by the students and parents.
He said subsequent educational attainments including literacy rate rose from 17 % in 1961 to more than 80% at present and government educational institutions increased from 519 in 1963 to nearly 3000 in present context.
Solo, who also completed secondary education from government school, lamented declining of reputation and image of government schools.
He asserted decline of many government high schools was due to numerous problems including bogus teachers, proxy teachers, absentee teachers, excess appointments, agitations by teachers and students, poor results and nil results.
Solo also said while many of government high schools grappled with the problem of poor and nil results, the private schools were showing excellent results. He questioned “how could private school teachers, who get only a fraction of the salary of government school teachers, produce such good results whereas the government teachers could not?”
Stating that this was not the time to play blame game, Solo said all responsible needed to admit that it was “collective failure or systemic failure.”
He also challenged the teachers to take collective responsibility and to make collective efforts to come out of the present situation the government schools were in.
He also encouraged the teachers to earn the respect with their contribution and performance. Calling upon the teachers gathered to know the responsibility as a teacher, Solo said: “Let us not destroy but build a brighter future for our children through education.”
Speaking as the guest of honour, the deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur, Kesonyü Yhome appealed to the teachers for serious introspection to mould young minds to become good peace loving and responsible citizen of the society.
Earlier, the conference was chaired by joint secretary, ANSTA Nagaland Visato Koso, invocation by Rev Vilodi Sakhrie, pastor town Baptist church Dimapur, welcome address was delivered by president ANSTA Dimapur unit, Viho G Swu. Presidential address and handing over ANSTA representation by president ANSTA, Nagaland Ponchulo Wanth, special song was presented by Nagageneous group, Dimapur and vote of thanks was proposed by vice president ANSTA Nagaland, Zubenthung Humtsoe, followed by second session. More than 400 government teachers from all over Nagaland participated in the conference.
Meanwhile, the ANSTA during its general conference submitted a representation on total bifurcation of higher secondary from secondary and elementary to the commissioner & secretary to education, SCERT & HTE.