EDUCATION SYSTEM IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Arunachal Pradesh has made significant progress in the field of Education. Literacy rate in the State has increased from 25% (1981 Census) to approximately 66% as per 2011 Census. However, unlike other States almost all educational institutions in the State are Government Institutions. The inadequacy of these physical facilities is a hindrance to proper functioning and qualitative improvement of education in the State. Thus, for ensuring access to universal elementary education, the State needs special support from the Central Government.

The schools in Arunachal Pradesh in most locations were started in ordinary basha type (OBT) structure made up of bamboo and wood. Most of these structures have outlived their time span; Repair works done intermittently are not cost effective. Construction of permanent/semi-permanent buildings started in places could not be carried through within the limited availability of funds under the State Plan.

Increasing salary liability due to opening of new schools towards an attempt for full coverage of children has created a situation where the State Government is now finding it difficult to provide funds even for the salaries of existing teachers.

Now, the state government has identified the necessity of imparting world class education to the children of Arunachal Pradesh. Steps like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (under which 123 EGS centers were upgraded to Primary Schools, 49 Primary schools upgraded to Upper Primary schools, 4394 Primary Teachers & 2004 Upper Primary Teachers appointed for remote areas schools to provide quality education). 9268 dropouts were identified & provided special training to return back to normal schooling system. Arunachal Pradesh improved immensely with an additional 26.25% schools being bestowed with access to computers.

Sanitation facilities in schools need immediate attention. Toilets installation in schools is a priority task ahead of the state Government. Installing separate facility for girl students at every school will also help in reducing the dropout rate among girls.

To make higher education more accessible to the people, the state Government has approved establishment of 5 Private Universities at Ziro, Itanagar, Pasighat, Namsai and Bhalukpong. Higher education system of Arunachal Pradesh has to rise to the occasion and reorient it to be more vibrant, competitive, meaningful and purposeful, as there should be no substitute to quality of education. On the positive side, Arunachal’s has made a remarkable development in the higher education system.    

Educational development is gaining momentum at a very fast rate and educational institutions are coming up at a large scale in the state. But, the teacher education institutions are very limited in number. These institutions are unable to meet the demand of trained teachers of the state. Secondly, there is a need to improve the infrastructure of these training institutions and to look for qualitative teacher educators. The State possesses about 600 pre-primary schools and there is not even a single training institution for providing the trained pre-primary school teachers. Serious and sincere efforts are to be made for quantitative improvements in the teacher education programmes of the State.

Higher Education of Arunachal has got short history to tell, much positive and remarkable development has been achieved in recent years. Nabam Tuki as a CM has added many chapters to states educational history of Higher Education. Institutes like, IIT and IIM are proposed in Arunachal Pradesh. But a lot is yet to be done in this youthful state so that, it can export complete Arunachal brand of education and manpower to the global labor market.
Source:  'Themetrolive'