Nagaland Education Association (NEA) has called for a need to formulate a strong state education policy for Nagaland as done by other North Eastern states like Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam.
Addressing the media at a press conference here on Sunday, NEA president, Dr. Zavise Rume said education system without a clear-cut state policy was dangerous, adding it would also lead to anarchy if expert and educationist are not consulted while framing such policies. Dr. Rume reiterated that the danger would be when framing of educational schemes and projects are left at the mercy of individuals rather than educationists.
To this, Dr. Rume remarked that India was now struggling as most of the education policies have been framed experts from other disciplines rather than those school education practitioners and experts.
Dr. Rume, who is also an associate professor at SCERT Nagaland, lamented saying many take it lightly thinking that “education” is just an easy subject. This has resulted in sidling the educationists while decision making and framing policies.
In this regard, he said it was time for the government to work with the educationists to ensure that the educationist are consulted in all policy/decision making process.
Dr. Rume informed that NEA has already initiated a policy research to assess the present status of education policy in Nagaland. He said NEA has been able to collect huge amount of relevant data for the study, rounds of interviews with eminent scholars and educationalists in the state and would continue, so as to compile a data about the state policy on education in Nagaland.
He said the association has not received any financial support from the state government except for few individual contributions towards this noble cause.
NEA general secretary Dr. Bweyhunle Khing also echoed the same concern saying there was an urgent need to re-organize education system which would result in producing good citizens, create better society with wisdom, peace, unity, practical education and improve over all education system.
Dr. Khing, who is also writer and associate professor at Kohima college, said the education system/policy in the state should also stress on civic sense, adding many in the state are lagging far behind on this matter.
Meanwhile, NEA president has informed that association would be holding its general meeting on October 8, from 11 a.m. onwards at Ura College of Teachers Education, Kohima to deliberate on issues related to Nagaland state education policies and the forthcoming national education day to be observed at the directorate of school education on November 11.