North East News Agency

Compared to other parts of the country, the education scenario of the North-East is greatly affected by serious social instability and if the issue is not addressed at the earliest, it may bring more hazards to the education scenario of the region in the days to come. The high rate of school drop-outs and the ever increasing graph of child labour in the region clearly imply that the existing education scenario is stagnant and the authorities concerned must give a serious look into it. This was observed by noted educationist and former secretary of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) Rita Wilson, who was in the city today to conduct some special programmes for children under the banner of CEC.

Rita, while backing her observation on the region’s education scenario, said that social instabilities in the form of violence and bandhs had taken its toll on the student fraternity of the region and emerged as a serious cause of concern. “Continuity is seriously lacking in this part of the region – be it on the part of school management or the teachers who lacks motivation. Students here get distracted from their goal owing to the prevailing scenario,” asserted Rita and added, “Violence on a consistent basis and other social stigmas have arrested the growth of education considerably.”

“I am not really concerned about the literacy rate here because it does not always depict the real social scenario of the State. It is the quality of education imparted which matters most,” the noted educationist pointed out.

“The role of quality schools in this regard is very pivotal because a child can be made literate anywhere but proper education needs a proper platform which can only be given through a well-equipped educational institute.”

She further added that no matter what the rate the literacy was, it was the quality of education that determined the holistic development of the society and helped in making the young generation global citizens.

On the rising numbers of schools being opened in this part of the region, Rita said, “It is good that more and more schools are coming up in this part. What needs to be seen is whether or not these institutions are catering to the need of the parents who desire for overall development of their wards.

“Not only in Guwahati, the scenario is almost identical in other parts of the country where the schools hardly bother to provide space for other co-curricular activities which is so very important for a child’s growth,” she added.

“In today’s world, a person, especially the teenagers, needs space — be it physical, mental or emotional space — to grow in their desired way,” she said.

Rita, who is also the principal of Starex International School, stressed the need for having a body to regulate the educational institutes where having playground must be made mandatory for a school to operate anywhere in the country.

“It is a matter of national debate which can be solved in a national platform but yes, the problem is affecting the education scenario as a curse,” she maintained.

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