Teachers welcome MBOSE’s move to revise textbooks

SHILLONG, NOV 25: Deficit school teachers in the state today welcomed the proposed introduction of revised school textbooks by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) citing that it is a step taken in the right direction.

The issue was deliberated during the joint meeting of the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Association (KJDSTA) and Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) held at Jail Road Boys’ School here in the city on Saturday.

It may be mentioned here, the Meghalaya Board of School Education has decided to publish revised textbooks in all lower primary, upper primary and secondary schools (classes 1 to X) from the next academic session.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, KJDSTA chief ED Nongsiang said that the teachers appreciated the move of the board to revise the textbooks as it is high time that they need to be updated to ensure students are at par with those in the rest of the country.

According to him, the exercise is to revise textbooks of all subjects except for health education, which the matter will be done next year.

Also lauding the state board for having followed due process in the exercise, he said that the board has involved the teachers of different subjects to assist in the entire process of selection of textbooks.

“We have decided to constitute a committee that would again review the textbooks to be issued by the state board to ensure that relevant textbooks are used in schools in various subjects. We will ask all the schools to give their feedbacks,” Nongsiang said.

The association president further said that the teachers were also of the view that the pattern of setting of question papers should be at par with the questions set by other central boards of education.

He admitted that the present standard of setting question papers in the state is much below compared to that of central board of secondary education (CBSE) and Indian certificate of secondary education (ICSE).

Nongsiang said the state board would also be asked to ensure that the price of textbooks sold in markets should be reasonable.

“Due to exorbitant rate of textbooks, parents and poor families are affected especially when the same textbooks cannot be re-used by students. The state board should make sure that the price of textbooks should be reasonable. If the price is high, we will raise objection,” he said.

The association also urged the book sellers to refrain from selling out old textbooks to students.

By Our Reporter