The dilemma of primary teachers in Nagaland: The broken or bridged course?

Dimapur: For one long week, the complex of Government Higher Secondary School, Chumukedima resembled a make-shift baby nursery. As the young mothers, all elementary school teachers, appeared for a ‘mandatory bridge course’ exam, babysitters and husbands waited outdoors for the three-hour test to get over.

A 14-day-old baby was also not spared this ordeal as his mother, a teacher in a government primary school at Toluvi, sat for the bridge course exam.

Another parent, Mahesh Singh, a businessman from Lhomithi colony, Dimapur, turned his van into a nursery for his 45-day-old child, that necessitated his mother to take an hourly break from her exams to feed him. Singh’s wife teaches in the primary section of a private school in Dimapur and holds a B.Ed. degree.

“I am sharing responsibility, as she loves teaching and she will do anything for it. After all these months, it will be a waste if she loses her job for not doing this bridge course. It is her passion and I support her,” Singh said.

The bridge course of the National Institute Open School (NIOS), under the aegis of Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, has been made mandatory by the Directorate of School Education, Nagaland, for all the teachers teaching in elementary level, be it in private or government schools.

As many as 500 teachers from every district appeared for the exam after the communique rendered the ‘bridge course’ mandatory with a warning to terminate the services if teachers fail to undertake the exam.

Singh is still trying to make sense of the policy of the government and so are the candidates.

Questions over ‘mandatory’ exam

“I don’t know why this new policy came into. I just know my wife can’t afford to let go of her passion for not completing this course,” Singh said.

Some of these teachers travelled from districts outside Dimapur. They have sought their accommodation in hotels, or the homes of relatives and friends.

“I really wish it was optional rather than mandatory. I didn’t find it worth. I still have no idea why we had to do another course when B.Ed. covers all courses. Maybe we are over qualified for elementary, so we were made to write lower level exam,” giggled a young primary teacher (PT) in a GPS who came all the way from Wokha district, not wishing to be named.

It is a torture for many who came along from far off districts as distant as Phek, Peren, Kiphire or Mon, said Akhrie, a nephew of one teacher who was from Mon.

For Imtisenla from Impur, Mokokchung, the time has been a test even for her husband, who has been taking care of the home and their two children including a two-year-old child. 

“I wish there had been more flexibility. It was difficult for a mother like me to leave and make the arrangements for my family all at one go,” she added.

Poor execution of bridge course disappoints

The candidates felt shortchanged on several counts such as the duration and level of the course.

“We registered for the 6-month course online for Rs 5,000 in December 2017 but the actual online course began a year later in December 2018 that too for a four month course and not the six months we paid and registered for. NIOS bridge course has not been oriented. No books or study materials have been given to us. We were told to just download online files. We paid the five thousand to download online files,” said a senior teacher teaching in a GPS under Phek district. He too did not wish to be named.

“It is below our expectation. I am disappointed. The set of questions are low and not organised. We paid Rs 1,000 as exam paper fees, which feel wasted,” remarked Aheli who teaches in a private school in Kohima.

“The contact centre for our district was in Kohima, but when we reached out for more queries. The coordinator in our centre seems rather confused himself of the idea of this bridge course,” commented one teacher from Kiphire district.

No clarity on benefits of the mandatory bridge course exam

As of now the teachers are unaware of how the exams they have just appeared are going to enhance opportunities in their career, since there is yet any order stating entitlement to more perks or other benefits. 

“We were just ordered to undertake this course for elementary level teaching, if not our service would be terminated. We were compelled to carry out the orders,” added another teacher from Longleng.

“We wish the government would be more precise in the idea behind implementing new policies instead of just imposing orders from above. Had it not been mandatory, I would not have taken this course especially when I have already been trained during my B.Ed. course,” said John Mar, who teaches in a private school in Tuensang.

The teachers clarified that they still hope that the government will find a way to fulfil the objectives of the bridge course that promised to enhance “skill and capacity” of teachers with a better course.

For the teachers, the exams held between March 19 to March 25 have been more of a necessity rather than a requirement.