The Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has urged the state government to take full responsibility for the ongoing challenges at the New Model College, Wakching.
Expressing disappointment over chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s recent remarks regarding the New Model College, KSU president Temwang and general secretary A Pangnan in a press release called for immediate action by ensuring that all necessary subject teachers were posted, allowing the college to function as envisioned and fulfill its mandate of providing quality science education.
They recalled that the college’s foundation was laid on June 27, 2015, before being formally inaugurated on February 3, 2019. However, they lamented that despite the early promise, five years had elapsed without any substantial progress, adding that only after persistent demands and pleas from the KSU the state government took action in 2023.
They said the lone science college in the area was finally set to open with only principal, but with no faculty in place, thereby hardly fulfilling its intended purpose. When students arrived to enroll, they quickly realised that the college lacked necessary academic staff, especially for core subjects like Biology, Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry, forcing them to reconsider, with most choosing not to pursue admission.
They disclosed that only two students initially enrolled, but subsequently transferred to Kohima Science College (KSC). They mentioned that several students expressed interest in joining the college this academic year (2024), but their joining remained bleak without teachers for essential subjects.
The duo claimed that the college had only managed to admit seven students in Botany and Zoology, a stark indicator of the college’s inability to offer a full-fledged science curriculum.
Stating that the absence of teachers in core subjects reflected the government’s failure to fulfill its obligations, they wondered whether it was reasonable to expect students to enroll in an institution without adequate teaching staff.
They stressed that it was the government’s duty to ensure faculty appointments were made prior to the start of each academic session, enabling a smooth and effective educational experience for all.
Claiming that the government’s neglect had directly hindered the academic growth of aspiring students and left the college effectively non-functional, they pointed out the recent appointment of only two assistant professors at the New Model College underscored this lack of commitment, further affecting students’ career prospects and academic progress.
They also reminded the government that the college had no staff quarters, due to which the assistant professors appointed there were facing untold hardships.