Why education is so poor in Mishmi area? This is a question, which we always ponder. So would like to highlight some simple observations - from our school visits, interaction with teachers, drawing comparisons with schools in Adi areas (of Lower Dibang Valley), and observations from our day to day life giving insight of whats really missing. My wife use to work as a Junior Teacher in Govt Middle School, Rayang, which is Adi inhabited area in Roing township. She never missed her classes. Not that because she was sincere, but she use to get repeated reminder calls and SMSes from school headmaster if she ever missed her classes. So if she had to skip the class, she has to make it through a leave letter stating clearly the reasons. Now my wife is posted at Govt Secondary School, Koronu, which is Mishmi inhabited village, 20 kms from Roing. She is elated as she presumes she can bunk classes whenever she wants. She thinks the school authority is understanding and wont mind whenever she likes to miss her classes. Its not only her, but many teachers from Adi inhabited areas wants transfer in schools in Mishmi inhabited areas, since the schools here are less strict, and they can skip classes, take out time for their own work, blah blah. My wifes experience in Rayang school tells that this school has a very strict curriculum. At 9 AM, every members (teachers and students) has to be inside the campus. Thereafter, the school gate is locked. Such locking of gates prevents students to leave the campus if the classes are off in the middle of days session. Whereas, compare it with schools in Mishmi area. One can see students leaving the school campus if there is no teacher to take classes. Such free passage in and out of school campus gives an ugly scene of our school environment. Though majority students in Rayang school are Muslim and Nepali children, the local school authority do not discriminate, and ensures it runs with all efficiency. They know a good learning environment in the vicinity will have positive impact in the locality. Much of the performance of the school depends entirely on the role of headmaster. For example, it is said that condition of Govt Secondary School of Desali detriorated during early 2000 when different school headmasters posted here abandoned it without a care. Since then, this schools enrollment hasnt seen an increase. Today less than 30 students are enrolled in this school. Schools like Govt Secondary School of Koronu also was in bad shape for many years, when sick, fragile, old retiring teachers were posted here as headmaster. During that time, the Koronu school was feared to be meeting the same fate of Desali. Things have changed with posting of one local Mishmi teacher as the headmaster. Now the school is somehow recuperating. The govt middle school in Arango is also an example where sincerity of the headmaster has put the school to a great reputation. Role of parents have great impact on the performance of the school. An example is the Govt Middle School, Arango. Almost 90% of the students here are children of Nepali labourers. Generally, we remain indifferent to schools where there is less tribal children. Notwithstanding such attitude, parents of this school have remained cooperative with the school adminstration. And with dedicated teachers and headmaster, they have joined hands together to overcome any hurdles. Also accounts of teachers who are posted in schools in Adi areas tells us that parents have regular visits in the school and enquire about the performances of their wards. Whereas, in Mishmi area, parents give away their children to the care of teachers thinking that it is the duty of the teachers to educate them. One of the biggest crisis we Mishmi face is less representation in bureacracy. The bureacracy is the brain of the government. So even if we may elect committed political leader; where we lack is our ability and expertise in guiding our political leaders. So intervention of our political leaders in education have not been fulfilling till date. Paucity of creative solutions will render even a powerful politicians left to waste. A look at schools in Mishmi areas like Govt Secondary School, Koronu, Govt Middle School, Hunli; one can see signs of heavy investments in the form of abundance of infrastructures. Even in remote areas like Desali, the schools have all adequate infrastructures. However, such investments of govt funds havent been converted to delivering better education. We Mishmi lack general consiousness about the functions of the education. We blame non performance to politicians and expect lot from the government. The government cannot do much if community do not come forward to shoulder responsibility. If community in all is aware, such consiousness will manifest in the form committed teachers, officials and even political leaders. (Photo credit: Rakesh Tacho)
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:18:14 +0000
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