KOKRAJHAR, JULY 21: The influential All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) has been eyeing stern steps,and called for immediate action from the government of Assam regarding the provincialization of Bodo medium educational institutions across the state to pave way for the massive ushering of the educational environment.
Speaking to the reporters at a press conference held on Sunday at Bodofa House, Baganshali in Kokrajhar, ABSU president Dipen Boro said that the current state of educational support for Bodo-medium institutions is inadequate.
Boro highlighted that under Clause 6.3 of the Bodo Territorial Region (BTR) Peace Accord, there is a specific demand for the provincialization of Bodo medium educational institutions. However, he noted that only 10 colleges have been provincialized in the four years since the agreement’s inception, leaving many key educational levels—including lower primary (LP), middle (ME), and higher secondary (HSS)—unaddressed.
The ABSU president pointed out several critical issues, including the lack of creation of posts for Bodo medium Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs), despite the appointment of 2,271 Assamese medium PGT teachers in 2021. Additionally, Bodo medium posts have yet to be established at Sarupathar College and Janai Girls’ College, and the University of Bodoland has not seen new posts created.
Moreover, Boro criticized the lack of new departments at Bineshwar Brahma Engineering College in Kokrajhar and the absence of teachers in 26 Bodo medium primary schools and 206 institutions operating with a single teacher. He also mentioned that Balipara, Dudhnai, and Baksa Model Colleges have not received necessary Bodo medium posts.
The ABSU leader further said that primary, middle, and high schools have yet to receive adequate textbooks. He warned that if these issues are not resolved promptly, the ABSU would be forced to initiate a democratic movement to press for their demands.
Boro said the ABSU was not happy with the lack of exertion of the education minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu who is not keen to solve the problems of Bodo medium for long. He said there had been four minutes of the Chief Minister and the education minister on educational issues taken on December 19, 2021, April12, 2023, August 29, 2023 and February16, 2024 but despite this fact nothing has been solved. He said the education minister invited the ABSU delegation to discuss CM minutes but cancelled three times. On 19 June last the education minister invited them for discussion at 11 am but deferred to 2 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm respectively and finally cancelled the meeting, he said adding that the minister again invited them on July 2 and July 5 last at 4 pm but both the meetings were also cancelled citing various reasons. He also said the lackadaisical attitude of the education minister appeared to be a stumbling block towards the development of Bodo medium schools in Assam.
