FROM THE Assamese PRESS

An editorial in the Dainik assam, one of the oldest Assamese dailies, says the advent of Bihu, the state8217;s national festival, reminds people of their roots. It says the educated, urban Assamese is fast forgetting his rural past. Of late, though, this educated, urban section has become self-centred and turned its back on the rural agrarian society. This has not only endangered Assamese culture but has also pushed the entire society to the brink. The worst victim is Bihu.

A front-page news item in Asomiya Pratidin says Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi8217;s former teacher and an ex-minister, Kamal Kumari Baruah, has expressed dissatisfaction over certain activities of her former student. A veteran freedom fighter and social worker, Baruah said that Gogoi was 8220;a very good boy8221; when he was her student in JB College, Jorhat. 8220;He was a very good boy in college. But he is no longer so. I was very happy when Tarun became the chief minister. But Tarun has changed a lot since he became chief minister. He does not have the required interest in implementing various schemes of his government,8221; she said.

A report in the Dainik Batori says that over 90 per cent of the state8217;s high schools and higher secondary schools have been running without a permanent headmaster or principal for over ten years now. This has seriously affected the normal functioning of these institutions, and the worst sufferers have been the students. As many as 600 out of the 602 higher secondary schools do not have a permanent principal, while over 90 per cent of the 2,792 high schools have not seen a permanent headmaster or headmistress for ten years, the report says. Worse, the services rendered by senior teachers running these institutions have remained unrecognised by the authorities.

Compiled by Samudra Gupta Kashyap