Shillong, Sept 7: The Meghalaya cabinet on Friday approved the proposal of the state education department to increase the upper age limit to 32 years for teachers’ appointment right from primary school to college level in the state.
There will be a relaxation for ST candidates by five years, thereby fixing the upper age at 37.
At present the upper age limit is 27 years with a relaxation of five years, thereby fixing it at 32.
Meghalaya Education minister, Lahkmen Rymbui termed it a “big decision†of the state government which will give opportunity to those who need to obtain extra qualifications for joining the teaching profession.
“Before, obtaining only bachelor degree was sufficient for becoming a teacher. But now, for secondary schools, you need a bachelor degree holder along with bachelor of education (BEd). For higher secondary schools, you have to be a postgraduate plus BEd. But more importantly, the idea behind is to get good quality education system in the state,†Rymbui said.
Stressing the need to have quality teachers, Rymbui said, “the more qualified teachers the state has, the more quality education would be provided to our children. That is the main purpose of why we need to increase the upper age limit in order to get qualified teachers and quality education.â€
Citing an instance on the increasing of upper limit, Rymbui said that this would give more opportunity to prospective teachers to complete their extra qualification and then get more years to apply for the teaching job.
“We have missed out many brilliant and prospective people who did not join the teaching profession because by the time they finished their post graduation or doctorate, they will have only few years to apply for the teaching job,†the education minister said.
Meanwhile the state cabinet also approved enhancement of merit scholarship for lower and upper primary schools across the state.
The enhancement is from Rs 100 to Rs 600 per month for lower primary students and from Rs 40 to Rs 600 per month for upper primary students.
The merit scholarship is offered by the Directorate of Educational and Research Training (DERT) every year to provide financial assistance to meritorious students belonging to lower and upper primary schools.
“By increasing the scholarship amount, it will encourage students to continue for higher studies help them improve in education,†Rymbui said.
Last year 264 students of lower primary and 84 students of upper primary received the merit scholarship.
Rymbui also informed that the state cabinet has approved the filling up of vacancies of 13 lecturer posts in Tura Government College and 3 posts in Williamnagar Government College.