All bills to be discussed and tabled today, the last day of the budget session of the Assembly

Debabrata Saikia

Guwahati: Assam legislators, cutting across party lines, on Thursday called for introduction of moral education in schools as one of the measures to check crimes against women.

Taking part in a special discussion on problems plaguing the education sector, leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia stressed that moral education, which used to be taught in primary schools, should be re-introduced to offer more value-based education. “The deteriorating value system among youths shows the need to have it back in the school curriculum,” he said.

AIUDF legislator Mamun Imdadul Hussain said introduction of moral education would help check indiscipline and lack of morality among youths. “When we were in school, we used to study short stories which taught us to respect elders and what we should not do. This had a huge impact in our life and careers and such education can be reintroduced,” he said.

He also called for including a chapter on leadership development in classes VIII and IX in order to allow young boys and girls to pursue politics as a career. “Most toppers in class X and XII mostly want to become doctors, engineers, IAS or ACS officers. No one wants to become a politician and so there is a need to offer education on leadership,” Hussain said.

The discussion took place a day after women legislators called for a stringent law to deal with rising crimes against women.

BJP Charaideo legislator and former leader of the All Assam Students’ Union, Tapan Kumar Gogoi, expressed concern over non-regularisation of teachers appointed in 1991.

BPF MLA Kamal Singh Narzary said more teachers should be appointed to tide over shortage, particularly in Bodo-medium schools. “There are 159 Bodo-medium schools in Udalguri, Majbat and Khoirabari where there is no teacher while in another 301 schools only a single teacher is present. Assamese teachers have been appointed in Bodo and Bengali-medium schools,” he said.

Ranoj Pegu of the BJP and Independent MLA Bhuban Pegu highlighted the poor condition of government schools which was eroding people’s faith in state-run educational institutions.

Sanjoy Kishan and Durga Bhumij, who represent the tea garden community, sought special attention for schools and colleges in garden areas.

News Source Telegraph India by Sumir Karmakar