18 minute read
Baptist Church Chosaba Village
from August 10, 2020
Strategy on diseases
Alongside the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, the state of Assam including other states in the north east are currently faced with other major problems like floods, landslides, and erosion. To make matters worse, the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) season has been reported in Assam and a few other states, putting the healthcare infrastructure of the states under severe pressure. The issue of climate change has surfaced as a new threat and challenge for ongoing efforts to contain vector-borne diseases. Mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, Japanese encephalitis (JE), lymphatic filariasis and dengue, are major public health concerns in the north-east, deterring equitable socioeconomic and industrial development. Among these, malaria and JE are the predominant infections and are spread across the region.Among some common vector-borne diseases apart from the Japanese Encephalitis disease is Chikungunya, Dengue, Rift Valley fever, Yellow fever, Zika Virus, and West Nile fever which are all viral diseases whereas Lymphatic filariasis and Malaria are parasitic infections. Japanese Encephalitis is a viral disease that affects the Central Nervous system and is transmitted by infective bites of female Culex mosquitoes. Symptoms of Japanese Encephalitis include headache, fever, meningeal signs, disorientation, coma, tremors, paralysis, hypertonia, loss of coordination, etc. Japanese Encephalitis has a 14% mortality rate which is 60 times higher than COVID-19 and its natural hosts are water birds like herons and egrets. This viral disease is a perennial problem in the northeast along with annual floods. Around 30,000 to 50,000 cases of JE are reported each year from Asia. This disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another meaning it is not contagious. Despite outbreak and threat of vector-borne diseases, which have been widely reported in the national media and also getting nearer to Nagaland, there is need to be alert especially during end of September to October. Dimapur’s perennial problem of stagnant water in clogged drains continue to provide the best conditions that help spread of mosquitoes. It may be noted that districts in different parts of Assam have so far reported 14 cases of dengue and 79 cases of acute encephalitis syndrome during the past weeks, according to NHM State director Lakshmanan S. A major worry for the Animal Husbandry department is preventing African swine fever (ASF) which has so far claimed more than 17,000 pigs across 10 districts, including Lakhimpur where the flood has affected 105 hectares of cropland while a bridge collapsed and river embankment breached. In recent years, there is evidence that mutations of virus have become more common. Like malarial causing Anopheles mosquito, which has gradually mutated to develop resistance to anti-malaria pesticides, there are also fears that a gene mutation of the dengue virus may be taking place. In 2003, researchers identified eight mutations in dengue virus type 4. Mosquitoes infected by the virus spread this zoonotic disease to humans. Mosquitoes that spread this disease usually bite during dawn and dusk and human beings are accidental hosts and dead-end of the chain. Medical authorities in the north east need to focus on the possibility of travellers carrying the virus causing various diseases coming from states where the outbreak has been reported. The pandemic has rung an alarm bell for health authorities in the region, to join hands in doing ground research on various virus and other vector borne diseases so as to evolve an effective and common strategy.
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Daily Devotion
Prayer in the Father’s Hearing
Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank
You that You have heard Me.” —John 11:41
When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “…your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. Is the Son of God being given His opportunity to work in me? Is the direct simplicity of His life being worked out in me exactly as it was worked out in His life while here on earth? When I come into contact with the everyday occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? Jesus says, “In that day you will ask in My name…” (John 16:26). What day does He mean? He is referring to the day when the Holy Spirit has come to me and made me one with my Lord.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied by your life, or are you exhibiting a walk of spiritual pride before Him? Never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side. Common sense is a gift that God gave to our human nature— but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment. Are we living at such a level of human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being exhibited moment by moment in us?
Quotes
Quality education needs funds
The National Educain 1968. During these 52 would come through priquality. Often the faculty is ties and introducing a fouryet to pay the fees of the tion Policy has a years cost of living has vate sector and the possible under severe stress. Apart year, instead of three years, last academic session. vision of the edugalloped. foreign investments. It is a salaries are pittance comundergraduate programme The NEP has a long cation in the next many Consumer price index nice dream but may finally pared to any state-funded adds to the cost of educawish-list. The stress on decades. It falters on the has been revised a number lead to widen the existing university. The least, if tion. It should have con‘learning outcomes’ disadfundamental question of of times. Public expengaps in deliveries. This at all, is spent for faculty sidered having a one-year vantages what it calls the how to fund it in an era of diture in education has premise has been raising development or research. post-graduate programme socio-economically disadhigh costs, high inflation increased by 2.7 percent continuously tuition fees These are pre-covid19 too. The reduction of two vantaged groups (SEDG). and the most expensive in 2017-18 – far away from of public institutions like problems. years in higher education Mere mention of terms like education envisioned. the target. IIT, IIM and IIMC since The policy makers apreduces many unnecessary creativity, critical thinking,
It is a surprise that the The comparison has 2007. parently have not considcosts and saves the nation multi-disciplinary without crucial question of fundsome incongruence. The 6 The policy has not ered these problems. Had tons. manpower or financial ing not only for educating percent expense on educastudied the problems that it been taken into account, The savings benefit support may further affect the coming generations tion was estimated for a private universities or instithe policy could have been not only the institutions the quality. but also paying the most population of 45.96 crore. tutions, with some excepmore practical. but also the student comIt had a simple model important resource, the Today the population is tions, have added to this The private institumunity – in other words to study 5000 RSS Vidya teachers in schools and three times more at 130 sector since 2003. Many tions were planned to meet the society, by reducing Bharati schools, having faculty in higher educacrore. By sheer logic the have turned into degree the funding gap since 1991 their expenses, precious over 3 million students, tion, has apparently not number of students has mills a la the US pattern. economic liberalization. A time and allowing them which have emerged as been mulled over. increased by the same They are 2015-16 surto go for jobs early. quality centres apart from
The nation has been proportion. The lag in awarding Shivaji Sarkar vey finds that The argument that missionary schools. These cribbing over the last two infrastructure and faculty d e g r e e s 78 percent of reduction in term affects also work on part-philandecades that it is unable to quality is a telling problem and diplomas with subcolleges are privately manquality is humbug. In the thropic model. But the fund education. It is not of today’s education. standard deliveries. There aged and 68 percent do last six months of the document should have only the government but The NEP may have are serious allegations not get government aid. under graduate course stressed on changes in tax even the private sector has taken these aspects in their against some. The policy makers still in the name of dissertasystem prowling on any failed to raise funds. The assessments but it is not reThe quality of faculty view education as nontion or internship, noth‘income’. dream of NEP of 1968 flected in the document. and infrastructure is usuprofit venture and the gaps ing is taught. In many The NEP will become was to invest 6 percent of So what was estimatally below the standards are to be filled up with post-graduate courses an model for decades. It has GDP in education. The ed as need for over Rs 8 of a public university. The philanthropic contribu11-month syllabus is exto redo its math and apGDP for 2019-20 is estilakh crore as per 6 percent number of faculty and othtions as the term “public tended to 18 months with proaches. Populist proposmated at Rs 145.66 lakh of GDP should practier resources are always less philanthropic participalast semester for nothing. als of doing away with crore. The education at 6 cally at least double (Rs than the requirement. tion” suggests. It does not These rarely add to skills class ten and 12 board percent of it needs over Rs 16 lakh crore) if not treble Most private univerconsider that with higher or knowledge. exams or cut in curricu8 lakh crore. The central if the nation wants to give sities suffer from serious number of private instituPost-covid19 the ecolum is not a solution to budget has allocated Rs holistic and wholesome fund crunches as their tions most institutions are nomic crunch philanthroachieve UN’s SDG goals 99311 crore. It is assumed education to its burgeononly source of earning is competing to slash their py or CSR is difficult. Even for inclusive and equitable that the private sector, paid ing young population. tuition fee. The sustenance fees to attract numbers. otherwise not many could education. as fees by parents is raising The NEP though has depends on the number of Most are in poor financial attract such doles. The If the nation has to another Rs 1lakh crore. gone through an ardustudents joining the instihealth and compromising admissions are shrinking compete with China or
Let us assume the ous process it is missing tutions. It simply means further on quality. due to covid19 panic and the west it has to provide nation is spending about on practical approach on if the numbers are high, In such situation a job losses by parents. Even the finances and make Rs 2 lakh crore annually, resources. The premise the chances of survival cocktail education system private secondary schools education affordable for just 25 percent of what is that the funding inare better. that is aimed at opening in 2019 had fewer admisproducing quality generawas estimated requirement stead from public accounts It is no guarantee for doors to foreign universisions. Many parents are tions.
Post-mortem
Critique of the NEP 2020 The pandemic: Daily A pproach to the new National Education Policy 2020 is the GDP. That is the broad view of the new system. Now let us examine 3% to 6% of the GDP but how it is going to be implemented is still uncertain. wagers and school fees a progressive and ambitious policy statement by the government of India in its how it will affect our children when implemented. It appears that the present Many poor states may not have the infrastructures and money to finance the new T he global pandemic 2020 has been unprecedented in the history of mankind; the effects of the schools are providing like preparing notes and conducting exams and it’s deemed that teachers be paid for their attempt at overhauling and policy has shifted from the policy. Education is in the current pandemic is not localised to its services. But what seem to be rather revamping much needed British system of educaconcurrent list in the congeographic origin, virtually every secunfair is the demand for full payment structure of the education tion to the American. The stitution of India, the state tion of people, economy and all human of normal tuition fees when the Schools system. It envisages introquality of education and has got a great role to play. activities have been severely hit. And are not performing their normal services ducing drastic changes in intention of the government The government of Naour state is no exception, there seem to like they used to before lockdown. The restructuring the education will be known only after the galand must discus all the be absolutely nothing which this global respective schools ought to take hard system; right from the prisyllabi are designed and pros and cons thoroughly, espandemic left untouched. However, I reality into consideration before such mary stage to the university implemented. Also, critical pecially, on language learnwish to speak my mind on the matters demands are made because educational level replacing the present thinking and dogmatism are ing. The tribal pride and which to me and lots of people I know institutions are places where morality system of 10+2 by 5+3+3+4 antithetical. Free thinking regional chauvinism should find it rather disturbing. and ethics are cherished and imbibed. and Bachelor’s Degrees, MA and expression are necesnot be allowed to dictate the Owing to months long lockdowns There are parents whose daily and M Phil by Graduation sary for the development policy of the education deall normal community and personal lives have literally become a battle of Certificate for the first year, of scientific temper. Neverpartment. Learning and preactivities have come to complete standsurvival as their Income sources have Diploma for the second theless, we may anticipate serving mother tongue must still. The most important Enterprise been dried up. Aside from other section year, Degree for the third the following results. First, be left to academicians and of our personal and individual activof people, daily wagers don’t have the year and Research for the transfer of children from one research scholars and not ity - schooling is also badly affected. luxury to work online as they have to fourth year. Those students state to another at primary impose on young children The normal functioning of school and do it physically given the time of the with Research Degree can and secondary stages will that may overcrowd their other educational institutions have been day. And due to recent lock down, the register for PhD. Students be very difficult because little mind, stunt and impede interrupted and left it almost paralysed only possibility to earn money have will also have the options to of different languages if their development. We have however what keep our spirit alive are completely being scrap off. As such choose a mixture of subjects we don’t have the optional become what we are largely the continual efforts of the department where do they earn the money to pay depending on their aptitude language. Secondly, learnbecause of our ability to concern doing its best to make up and school fees in this pandemic times?. It and ability. ing of the English language speak, read and write in compensate working days using differwould be a great help if the school au
The foundational and is directly discouraged as it English. We must also learn ent means of digital learning. Despite thorities or the government take certain preparatory stages will not will not be a compulsory Hindi as the lingua franca all efforts to make digital learning steps for such unfortunate parents with be burdened with exams subject anymore. Students of India. Thus apart from seamless and easily accessible, there regard to education of their children. or reading or writing but may find themselves less learning the mother tongue still are numerous issues that pose as Certain salaried parents who can afford mostly learning through competitive without the with optional subject in lieu a hurdles. Transmission of all digital is of another matter but for daily wager aptitude capabilities of chilknowledge of English. India of it, preferably, English, our learning during the lockdown basically it is tough and painful. Humanitarian dren where they learn by may lose her competitive children must learn three required latest gadgets like smartphones values are demanded of us in such practicalities making more edge in the international languages namely, Engand Television sets which is not easy to tough times where supporting each worldly sense and educamarket in future. China has lish (compulsory), mother procure for financially unstable parents other and providing a helping hand tion fun. This will be followed by introduction of learning mother tongue or regional language, vocational training and critical thinking, with no compulsion to learn a particular language. The present rigid separate streams like science, commerce and arts will be eliminated. Students can have multidisciplinary subjects and courses made more job-oriented. The sysgot language problems because many of them cannot speak, read and write in English like Indians. India will lose that advantage. It may drive away a section of the students from government schools to private for learning English which will go against the economically deprived section of our people. Thirdly, the discouragement of private institutions to earn profit may force closure of tongue (optional) and Hindi (compulsory). We must protect and promote English learning at early stage in our state focusing on the future scope of our children. We cannot compete with other Indians in their language but we can do it better in English because we are all equally disadvantaged at it. Moreover, knowing English provides us access to the world of knowledge and so is its operations. Hopefully, such hurdles are resolved at the earliest with local and institutional arrangements. The most pertinent issue i wish to share today besides other mentioned problems is the demand for payments of full amount tuition fees (or up to 9 to 11 months for the year) in certain schools in Kiphire town (as for other districts, I have no idea) without taking consideration to certain problems faced by some parents. I don’t object the payments of fees for those services are as crucial as our common effort to combat this pandemic. For education to be truly fundamental rights of every child, schools and colleges need to ensure that no one is left out or behind because of parents financial issues. Lastly, it’s my sincere urge to civil societies, schools and government to make certain arrangements so that even the poor daily wager’s child can access and be part of digital learning process. Tongrichum Jingru tem will be made flexible many schools and colleges like no other language in enough to help students allowing to shift or halt at any stage without hurdle. It has been made compatible to the detriment of students. Fourthly, it is silent about reservation policy of 25% for ST/SC. Fifthly, no special India. All the professional and technical books are written in English. It is no longer the language of the Reader’s Post with reputed international universities and they will also be encouraged to open provision for students from poor background. Sixthly, the right to education may people of England but has become the international language. We should not fall First hand revelations their branches in India with be diluted as the minimum prey to the Hindi enthusiasts Dear Covid survivors/recovered heros, conditions. The teachers facilities to be provided by or political propagandists. I would like to request you to come forward and share testimonial message will be trained and oriented the institutions are not speLet them be. These people on how you have faced the sickness. It will be beneficial and clear many doubts for the new system by the cifically indicated. send their own children to and apprehensions about the Virus.1. Probable chances of how you could have government. The board Seventhly, it is also siEnglish medium schools or contacted the virus. 2. Diet plan during +ve stage. 3. Management of mental examination system will lent as to how to deal with to study abroad. We must stress or psychological struggle during isolation period. 4. Health condition be made much simpler and commercialisation and priresist the temptation of and behaviour during +ve stage. 5. Medications and prescription support from less stressful by introducvatisation of education. diluting the importance of Medic care unit. 6. Post recovery life.7. Do’s and don’ts ing semester and internal Eighthly, the multiple choice learning English because This is not about stigmatization or social discrimination. But you guys are assessment system, but the selection may lead to a the future of our children heros and deserve all Respect & honours. Such first hand revelation will be an administration will become wrong combination of useis paramount. They must awareness to many people and will help fight the virus together. Infact, there more centralised. The govless ones. Lastly, the ambibe protected. are many phobias and hearsay talks, which only makes the Covid fight even ernment will increase the tious plan has promised to Besesayo Kezo, IP S, more complications. We all must join hand to beat this virus!! budget from 3% to 6% of increase the funding from (Retd) DGP Boktiba Jamir, Lengrijan, Dimapur
