Education Minister warns derelict teachers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 05 2013: While appealing to all sections of the society to cooperate with the Government's efforts to boost higher education to a greater level, Education Minister M Okendro has warned befitting action would be initiated against derelict teachers.

Speaking as chief guest at the golden jubilee function of Moirang College today, Okendro admitted that all the Government's efforts aimed at improving higher education in the State would bear little fruit if there is no cooperation from the public.

For improving primary education in the State, 2525 teachers have been appointed under SSA and another 556 under RMSA.

For higher education, service period for all college teachers has been extended from 62 years to 65 years as per UGC guidelines.

Moreover, recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission have been already implemented with regard to salaries of teachers.

The Education Minister appealed to all teachers to dedicate to their noble profession rather than taking up other jobs simultaneously.

Quoting UGC rules, Okendro stated that college teachers should remain in their respective colleges for at least five hours in a day.

Infrastructure shortfalls in all the 28 Government Colleges would be made in phases under RUSA.

After SSA and RMSA, the Government of India, with a view to improve higher education in the country would be launching a new scheme called RUSA under which college infrastructure would be enhanced and improved.

Centre would bear 90 per cent of the fund required for implementing RUSA while the remaining 10 per cent would be borne by respective States.

RUSA envisages transformation of a college into a model college in each district and absorption of some well-functioning and reputed private/aided colleges by the Government.

Conceding that a number of Government colleges are currently facing many shortfalls in terms of infrastructure, Okendro pledged that maximum efforts would be put in to make up the shortfalls at the earliest possible time.

As a first step towards this effect, requisite Librarians for each and every Government college would be appointed very soon.

Stating that around 300 posts of college teachers are lying vacant while there are around 425 part-time lecturers, Okendro said that the Government would study if the vacant pots of college teachers can be filled up from amongst part-time lecturers.

The Government is aware of the contribution of part-time lecturers as well as the hardships they have been enduring, Okendro stated.

Biometric attendance registration would be introduced in all colleges this year itself.

Biometric attendance would record sign in and sign off time of all college teachers and the same data would be monitored at the Directorate of Education (U) through internet.

Informing about this new arrangement, he appealed to all college teachers to attend their respective colleges regularly.

Maintaining that the State Government would not make any compromise in the education sector, Okendro claimed that the abysmally low number of attendance and admission in colleges of the State as witnessed some years back has become a thing of the past today.

This year, the number of students admitted in different colleges of the State has reached 40,000 .

Stating that this is a good sign, the Education Minister went on to claim that people no longer negative impression for Government colleges/schools.

YAS and Tourism Parliamentary Secretary M Prithiviraj and MLA S Bira were also present at the golden jubilee function as president and guest of honour respectively.

On the occasion of the golden jubilee, M Okendro inaugurated a newly constructed indoor stadium of Moirang College.

After offering floral tributes to the late founders of the college, the chief guest opened a photo exhibition which highlighted achievements of the college in different fields.

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