One single question that must be dominating a curious mind is – Why is it not possible to enhance this quality of education? Is it because of the dilly – dallying on the part of the Government or its casual approach to this human resource development sector or lack of a well considered policy that is standing as a stumbling block in the way of the improvement of school education in the State? Well, at the drop of the hat and without study, drawing a conclusion in this regard will be unbecoming. However, if we do care and make a profound and thorough study of the education system, we will be able to identify the factors affecting it. In fact, there are some long – standing problems that have left the school education system in a chaotic condition.

To be honest, among the factors affecting the system in the State, one major visible snag is the lack of sufficient teachers in many government –run/aided vernacular medium schools including high and higher secondary ones. With the dearth of teachers, these educational institutions have been rendered almost ineffective.

The impression in this regard has been further reinforced following the recent findings of the study vis – a – viz the State school education conducted by a team of researchers in November – December last year. Under the study, as many as 155 schools (both urban and rural) in the Kamrup, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat and Barpeta districts of the State were covered. The study reveals that there is a lack of sufficient teachers which it cites as a major factor affecting the education sector in the entire State. The studies also point out that even the schools earlier having sufficient teachers have been rendered dysfunctional due to the failure in filling up vacancies. From the findings of the studies, it is also clear that the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan has not been able to reach many of the interior areas and the most vulnerable groups even after ten years of its launching.  The reason is lack of accessibility to these areas and groups due to lack of a network of motorable roads, which is unfortunate. Mr. Mukut Lochan Kalita, one of the researchers, was of the view that regrettably, “Even schools two or three kilometres away from the motorable roads remained unvisited and neglected for years.”

Among some other issues which are affecting the school education system in the State is a lack of language / subject teachers in a few high and higher secondary schools in the State. There is no gainsaying the fact that in the past three or four years, the Gogoi establishment has time and again appointed hundreds of candidates to the permanent posts of teachers in government provincialized LP, ME, high and higher secondary schools who have been selected through the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) conducted by the State Government for the purpose. It has also earlier appointed many candidates for the posts of graduate teachers on contractual basis selected via interviews held by the MCs in some of the high and higher secondary schools besides a number of the TET – qualified candidates to the sanctioned posts of graduate teachers selected through interviews by the schools’ committees.

What is even more heartwarming is that in a public function organized at GMCH auditorium in Guwahati in September this year, the State education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma handed over appointment letters to as many as 931 graduate candidates who had qualified for the permanent posts of teachers through TET in these schools in 12 districts. The appointment letters for the same posts in the remaining eight districts including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia which have not been distributed following the code of conduct in force due to the just – concluded Mising Autonomous Council and Sonowal Autonomous Council polls in thesesued sooner rather than later.

Admittedly, this recruitment process of qualified teachers has not just helped infuse a new lease of life in those single – teacher sick schools, though high in enrolment, the number of which is quite impressive, as revealed in the findings of the studies by a team of researchers, but has also gone a long way in improving the quality of school education in the State. There is not an iota of doubt that appointing so many teachers in a phased manner and in a brief spell, considering the condition of the job markets in the country, has been a superb job on the part of the State Government, and, for this to fructify, the education minister must deserve kudos from all for it is because of his personal initiative that it has been possible.

But still, there seems to have been some other shortcomings in the recruitment policy. These might have happened due to the issue of the schools’ requirement of science or arts teachers being ignored because of the influence of large – scale appointments. While in some schools graduate arts teachers are required, the teachers posted there are from the science stream.

Even schools two or three kilometres away from the motorable roads remained unvisited and neglected for years.

When lady teachers are appointed, it is the duty of the education department to ensure that the schools where they will be posted at are easily accessible and not located too far away from their homes and that they can work in a friendly environment. For example, on a rainy day in particular, they may understandably think twice before going to the workplace. Ruefully, in the case of some TET teachers, this principle was not followed with regard to their appointment and the result is for all to see – the recent hair – raising incident of the gang rape of a woman TET teacher at Dalgaon in Darrang district of the State.

However, one silver lining in this gloomy scenario is that the Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi, close on the heels of the unfortunate incident, on October 8th 2013, asked the Chief Secretary of Assam Jitesh Khosla to constitute a three – member committee to formulate a transfer and posting policy for lady teachers to ensure their safety and congenial working conditions.

Another core issue in the recruitment of teachers is that it is to be ensured that they are appointed as per the requirements of the schools. For example, if a school requires science / arts teachers, care should be taken during appointments that these requirements are fulfilled. It is only then that the students can reap the benefits.

Dwaipayan