Tura, September 27: The NGOs from garo, in the memorandum submitted to Mr Ambrose Ch. Marak, The Director, Education (School Education & Literacy), government of Meghalaya, alleged that there is Gross manipulation of the system, embezzlement by Gimegre deficit Upper Primary School, W.G.Hills and continued misadventure by the Education Department, Tura.
A conglomeration of NGOs from Garo Hills, the GSU, ADE, FKJGP, AYWO and FAF would like to point out certain irregularities in the school mentioned and requests for initiation of corrective measures for the best interest of the school.
TheCitizens and Nokma of the area complained about serious irregularities in the deficit school and the unwillingness of the authorities to pursue the matter in ways efforts to relegate the whole issue as one of simple negligence.
The irregularities as alleged ,the school had not provided meals to the students for almost two years (2015 and 2016) barring the month of April 2015. The report corroborated the report of the people that MDM conversion money has been embezzled and that no mid-day meal is being provided with the evidence that around 25 quintals(the inquiry team found 20 quintals of rice) of rice is being stocked in the village community hall and that the rice is damaged and unfit for consumption.
This is violation the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the Central Government progamme National Programme of Mid Day Meals in Schools. Even the Supreme Court has given set of directives which require all government and government-assisted primary schools to provide cooked midday meals.
Every child in every Government and Government assisted Primary Schools with a prepared mid day meal with a minimum content of 300 calories and 8–12 grams of protein each day of school for a minimum of 200 days.The Central Government shall also allocate funds to meet with the conversion costs of food-grains into cooked midday meals.
The state level steering monitoring committee is supposed to monitor mid-day meal progamme quarterly, the District Level Committee every month and the Block Level Committee fortnightly. How could such irregularities continue for almost two years with impunity and immunity despite repeated complaints by the villagers including several village headmen? Is someone powerful providing calculative, manipulative and protective umbrella for the SMC?
It was also alleged that Embezzlement and misappropriation of funds. It was also reported to us that the then MP of Garo Hills District, Madam Agatha K. Sangma donated a sum of Rs. 3,00,000’/- (Three lacs only) for school development but it was suggested to us that they constructed a part of the school which was not accounted in terms of expenditure and cost overheads. The villagers reported that Shri Ashael D. Shira, the local MLA in his capacity promised a sum of three lacs in installations. Some of that money has been received by the SMC again with no real accounts except which did not tally with costs and expenditures. Though this allegation could not be confirmed, the villagers swore that they were present in both the public meetings and knows for sure that money has been received.
The second part of misappropriation of funds is the MDM conversion money or the money grant for the expenditure of providing cooked meals for the students. The official report suggests that a total of Rs 1, 76,682/- has been embezzled by Shri Jensing Sangma, the President of SMC and Shri Bongga Arengh, the Asst. Teacher. Rs. 1, 19,360/- is the midday conversion money and 57,322/- from school funds taking the total to an amount of Rs 1, 76,682/-. The MDM conversion money was withdrawn as a loan from school supposedly to construct a a school building which was a manipulation to withdraw money. Supposedly, an explanation was given when asked that the money loaned will be adjusted with money grant by the MLA and MP.
Another revelation is that Shri Jensing Sangma and Shri Sorson B. Marak, M.C. member withdrew Rs. 5,610/- from the collection of the student fees citing reasons to purchase furniture but as reported no new furniture was acquired. The enquiry proved this misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs. 1, 76,682/- +Rs. 5,610/-.
In the memorandum also mention that violations in the approval of the SMC body in the Gimegre Deficit Upper primary School: There are serious violations in the formation of the SMC if one strictly adheres to the guidelines by the education department of Meghalaya based on an official order given by the Director, School Education & Literacy, Shillong, dated 22nd Nov’12 vide memo no.DSEL/SEC_NG/MC/5/2012/21 A. The composition of the SMC as suggested by the Central Model Rules is also violated.
The composition of the SMC should be odd numbers. The logic being there should not be a hung vote as one odd vote could sway the voting paradigm in favor of or against a motion placed in the SMC meeting. Hence based on the above point the guideline, a rule is being violated since the composition of the SMC is 12 members (which should have been either 11 or 13 or 17 in number as should be odd to provide for option of voting in case of conflict).The school concerned violates certain rules as far as the composition of the SMC is concerned. As per the office order of Director, School Education & Literacy, Shillong mentioned above, Section 3 of the order may be considered “3: Composition of the Management Committee:- Parents and Guardians-three fourth or 75%”.
Shri Jensing M. Sangma, the President of the SMC Gimegre Deficit Upper Primary School is not a parent of a student in the school. Yet he is the President of the SMC. To boot he has been the President of SMC for two terms and he is the Sectional Assistant, PWD, Phulbari Sub-Division-III. He is the one who is responsible for the present debacle of midday meal not being provided for the students because he is part of the corruption and that he was responsible because he declined to open an account in the bank, which is an absolute necessitated rigmarole for the machination of the mid-day meal provision, by resisting the simple matter of just providing his EPIC to the bank.
As per the Central Model Rules, “the representation of NGOs and CBOs is important. Their experience of community mobilization, capacity building, and facilitating democratic processes would be useful”. But we know there is not one representative from the NGOs in the SMC.As far as our knowledge regarding the term of the SMC is three years but Rikchang Sangma a SMC member has been a part of the SMC for 9 years. This is a clear violation of the rule.
And as far as our knowledge is concerned, two parents from the same family cannot be allowed as SMC members. SMC member Shri Dingsin Ch. Marak and Smt Semikka M. Sangma are husband and wife. This is again a violation of the guidelines of the State.
The NGOs said that as explained above, the money for the school construction was embezzled and siphoned off, when the question was asked allegedly they used foul languages challenging that none could do anything against them and thus evading a direct question regarding the matter.
Only upon spot enquiry by the five organizations did Shri Satalson D. Sangma, Joint Director of School Education & Literacy, West Garo Hills District, Tura ordered the SDEO Dadenggre Sub-Division, W.G.Hills to conduct an enquiry. The responsibility of the enquiry was passed down to the CRC of Masangpani along with the BRPs. As per the reports of the enquiry, it was done in the presence of the SDEO Dadenggre on 1st Sept’16. But now, Shri Satalson D. Sangma, Joint Director of School Education & Literacy, West Garo Hills District, Tura is allegedly not accepting the inquiry report and sprouting nonsense that the inquiry is not done in a proper manner and have had approved the SMC before as the present SMC’s term is due to end in 2016.
Does this person something to gain or is he also a recipient of bribes by the SMC Gimegre Deficit Upper Primary School. Inspite of reports by the villagers, corruptions galore and the fact that composition of SMC has broken rules after rules the officer has adopted the tenacious attitude of somehow saving the present SMC. If this is not manipulation and calculative move of the Joint Director of School Education & Literacy, West Garo Hills District, Tura than we beg to differ. He must have something to gain either monetary, family relation, nepotism or a strategy unknown at present or the obvious insinuation that he must be part and parcel of the corruption that exist in the school.
This NGOs demand that the present SMC be dissolved so that further corruption is prevented. The villagers themselves have in frustration dissolved the SMC on the 6th of Aug’16 ina a public meeting because their complaints are not heeded or even enquired by the concerned authorities. That the Mid-day meal be immediately provided for the students of the Gimegre Deficit Upper Primary School.That the present SMC be penalized for its corruption and embezzlement of the school fund.
The case of two subjects i.e. Health Education and Science not being taught in the school is a serious aberration in the education system of the school and must be corrected even though it is late. How are majority of the students expected to perform in the exams and we all wonder why the performance of the students of Garo Hills is not up to the mark and as per the demands of the contemporary competition and standard.
Shri Bongga Arengh is irresponsible as a teacher as he is more concerned with outside economic activities. The villagers report that he is more concerned with the operation of his auto rickshaw even during school hours. As a headmaster of the school it does not behoove him to be irregular and irresponsible towards his duties in the school. How can such a headmaster instill discipline, a sense of responsibility, accountability to his students? Hence he must be removed from the post of the Headmaster and a more responsible person be instated in his stead. That the money that has been embezzled be recuperated from the SMC so that the money is utilized for the benefit of the students.The memorandum was sign by Tengsak Gabil Momin President GSU and John Miltu general secretary Sangma GSU CEC, Tura.
