The federation, which had a marathon consultative meeting with the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and its frontal organisations at APO conference hall today, said the Union government’s Right to Education Act was not fully applicable in Nagaland.
They also slammed the Centre for infringing upon the Article 371(A) of the Constitution, which gave special status to Nagaland, and charged the state government with following an appeasement policy towards backward tribes for political mileage.
APO president Kekhriengulie Angami said the act could not be fully applied in Nagaland because of various reasons. “Certain rules are not applicable in Nagaland,” he said.
NSF president Kelhouneizo Yhome said rules like “no detention and no corporal punishment to students” were not applicable in Nagaland and urged the state government to review the process.
He, however, regretted that the act had not been satisfactorily implemented in the state so far and vowed to move the government for total implementation, so that students received quality education.
On the poor education system in government schools, Angami said only teachers should not be blamed, as mistakes start at the grassroots level, with village authorities allowing proxy teachers in many schools.
Today’s meeting also attributed the poor results by government schools to appointment of thousands of bogus and unqualified teachers and their rampant transfer, and urged the NSF to investigate into the matter.
The NSF also decried infringement of Article 371(A) by the Centre.
Yhome said Article 371(A), which gave special status to the Nagas, had been infringed upon and diluted by the Centre, by exploiting natural resources of the state.
He said despite the ban on exploitation of natural resources, truckloads of timber were transported out of the state and the government was now also contemplating petroleum exploration.
On the controversial quota for backward tribes, the NSF vowed to oppose any move that would rob the other Naga communities of their rights.
Yhome said they had submitted memoranda to the state government demanding total review of the reservation policy and resented the government’s inaction.
He said the government was supposed to review the 33 per cent reservation policy after every 10 years, but this had not been done. Rather, despite opposition by other tribes, the government had increased the quota to 37 per cent in all employment avenues and educational institutions.
The NSF has been demanding that the reservation policy should be implemented after identifying areas and pockets that were yet to catch up with the rest of Naga society. “Equal justice should be given to all Nagas,” Yhome said.
The backward tribes include Konyak, Phom, Chang, Khiamniungan, Yimchungru, Sangtam, Pochury, Chakhesang, Zeliangrong, Kuki and other sub-tribes of the state.