Pastor-turned-political activist Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh fears that Meghalaya’s education fees will rise if the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is implemented in the state, putting learning out of reach of poorer students.
“My apprehension about the NEP, especially in Meghalaya where most educational institutions are run by private players, is that it will be very expensive, especially the higher education,” Pyrtuh told Highland Post recently.
There is a component of the NEP 2020 for further withdrawal of the state from supporting educational institutes, which means an increase in private players, he explained. “The moment private players come into play, for them it is business and access to education will be very costly,” he warned.
Under the policy, four-year undergraduate degrees will become the norm, up from the usual three. Implementation of the NEP will also lead to the hiring of more teachers but, while this is an employment opportunity, colleges will inevitably raise fees to meet the costs.
To help mitigate this, the state government should not leave its citizens on their own as far as education is concerned, Pyrtuh opined. Resisting the NEP indefinitely, though, is not an option, according to him, as it would disadvantage Meghalaya students if they venture to other states for further studies.
“I can understand the tension of the teachers and the heavy workload they will have to endure but we have to make it work with whatever we have in hand,” he
added.
