State Higher & Technical Education minister, Temjen Imna Along on Saturday lamented that the higher education sector in Nagaland had been neglected for too long and the only way to address the issue was through reformation.
Speaking at the inaugural programme of Dimapur Government College (DGC) administrative building, floriculture nursery and museum at the newly inaugurated DGC conference hall, Along said the first step in achieving this goal would be by discouraging students from studying outside the state. For this, he called upon parents to be the catalyst in bringing in the change.
Asking government employees, particularly officers, lecturers and teachers, to stop living a “hypocritical life”, the minister said, “You want other children to study in government institutions, but doesn’t want to send your children to government schools”. He therefore asked them to first set an example by enrolling their children in government institutions.
Describing as “timeless effort” the process of bringing about reformation, Along, however, encouraged the department officials and teaching faculty to remain steadfast. “It is going to be a timeless effort but we should look beyond our time and try to build our institutions in Nagaland into revenue generating and world class institutes,” he said.
The minister also congratulated the Higher education department officials, students and staff of DGC on completion of the projects. He said the administrative building was the first among the 15 buildings constructed under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Human Resource Development.
In her brief speech, Higher education, director, Kuholi Chishi, former principal of DGC, acknowledged the contributions and assistance of department officials and all responsible for the completion of the project under RUSA phase-I. Highlighting the need to preserve public properties, she urged the students and staff of DGC to use the new building “qualitatively and give qualitative performance”.
The director was optimistic that DGC had the potential to become a world class institute and called upon all stakeholders including the alumni to execute their duty in developing the college.
Meanwhile, PWD Housing (Education division), executive engineer, Er. Kelechütuo Pienyü, informed that the project was began on January 29, 2015 was completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crore.
Earlier, the inaugural programme was chaired by joint director, higher education and state project director, RUSA, M. Kire. The welcome address was delivered by DGC principal, Ngangshikokba Ao, invocation by DGC associate professor, Sedevino while special number was presented by DGC assistant professor, I. Suzzana Yaden.
The administrative building and floriculture nursery was inaugurated by the minister while the museum was inaugurated by higher education, director, Kuholi.