Schools to run HS classes

Dispur to delink plus-two course from degree colleges

DAULAT RAHMAN

File picture of students queuing up for admission to the Higher Secondary course in Cotton College Guwahati, July 21 : Dispur has decided to delink the intermediate course from degree colleges for improving the quality of education from the next academic session. An official in the education department told The Telegraph that the plus-two classes would be run only by schools to relieve the colleges of the burden. He said the directorate of higher education has already forwarded the relevant file to top officials of the education department in Dispur for its final approval. “Education minister Gautam Bora has instructed his department to create infrastructure and faculty at the existing high schools to upgrade them into higher secondary ones. Facilities at the existing higher secondary schools will be improved. The government will also allow the private junior colleges to run the higher secondary classes,” the official said. The director of higher education, Dilwar Hussain, while confirming the development, said the matter is now awaiting the formal seal of approval from the government. He said a blueprint would be prepared for effective and smooth implementation of the new system. Under the present system, several degree colleges are overburdened. Even the century-old Cotton College has requested the state government to hive off its higher secondary section. The college has proposed to set up a Cotton Junior College to run the plus-two classes. A senior teacher of Cotton College said lakhs of students appear in science, arts and commerce streams of the higher secondary final examination every year, which takes considerable time and effort on the part of the degree colleges in an academic session. He said delinking the higher secondary classes had become inevitable in view of the latest initiative of Gauhati University to introduce a semester system in degree colleges. “The introduction of a semester system for the three-year degree course implies more responsibility for the colleges in terms of finishing the syllabus within a strict stipulated deadline and holding frequent examinations. Under such circumstances, the standard of higher secondary education in degree colleges will be affected,” the teacher said. The official said the state government’s decision was also in adherence to the University Grants Commission’s guidelines to allow the degree colleges to concentrate exclusively on imparting quality higher education. He said the guidelines stipulate that plus-two education must be confined to the school level. U. Deka, the secretary of Assam Higher Secondary Education Council, said the council was aware of the development. “It is a welcome move. The government has to bring about a substantial improvement in the quality of infrastructure and faculty in the schools to make the new system successful,” he said.