Extend TET form submission date : ATSUM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 29 2016:
The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has demanded the State Government to extend the last date of form submission of TET indefinitely until a "final settlement" is reached.
"Our demand should be met or we will be compelled to launch agitation.
Making BEd degree compulsory for TET candidates is not based on good sense," union finance secretary Andria Sinruwng said on Sunday.
"90 percent of the people hailing from the hill districts will not be getting the chance to appear in the upcoming examination since few of them hold BEd degree," he said.
"It seems that the Education Department's intent to suppress the rights of the tribal people is very clear," Andria accused.
He demanded that the last date of form submission should be indefinitely extended.
Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BOSEM) conducts Manipur Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) every year to hand pick the best teachers for the Government schools.
Andria said every hill district has one DIET (District Institute of Education and Training) centre but this is meant only for the in-service teachers.
He said the one at DM College, Imphal campus offers BEd degree to a few people who are not in service.
He said, "The union has been demanding the Manipur Government to start BEd programme all in the hills but the five-year old demand has remained neglected till date" .
On May 16, an ATSUM delegation met Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh at his office chamber.
The meeting, also attended by Ministers, reached an agreement in principle to relax TET and BEd in recruiting teachers under SSA and RMSA.
"The assurance and agreement are yet to be implemented by the Government till today and at the same time the Education Department is planning to hold TET making BEd compulsory now," Andria rued.
He urged upon all federating units and other like-minded civil socities to extend support to the proposed agitation to be launched by the union in the event of the Government declining the demand for extension of last date of submission of TET forms.