Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Jan 20: Call it a paradox or an irony of fate that while on the one hand the government is endeavoring to set up educational institutions in every state and district for qualitative and employment oriented education, the hangman’s noose looms over one of the most well known and established edifices of learning in the city, B Ed College at the Loyola College of Education in Telco. A notification to the effect issued by the College’s administrative wing has left people wondering over the ultimate fate of an Institution that had remained a symbol of pride for Jamshedpur citizens. The decision of the committee to close down the Loyola College of Education has set heads turning in dismay. Is it the end of the road then for an Institution that has provided training in various types of professional courses apart from regular studies, especially to the middleclass and financially weak students through glorious and benchmark setting years? If it is so, it is going to be a sorry and sordid tale on the face of a trail being set by the government to introduce more qualitative and value-added educational institutions in the country. At least, the announcement of the closure of Loyola College of Education is a pointer in that direction.
College secretary Fr Sushil Suman Kerketta conveyed the decision of the administrative unit vide a notification dated Monday, January 18, 2021 mentioning suspension of registration for the forthcoming academic session 2020-’22. The reason attributed for the decision to close down the prestigious College was that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown phases had weakened the financial and administrative structures making it impossible to manage the day-to-day affairs. Fr Kerketta said that it had become very difficult to maintain NCTE norms. “In view of the NEP we do not find any future scope for ITEP and for these impediments, the administrative unit has thought it a better option to close down the institution in consideration for the staff and students.”
For the city of Jamshedpur, this is very painful news. People feel that if some corporate houses take up the cause and pull out the Loyola B Ed College of Education from the pit of doom, they would be doing a great service to education and professional avenues for students who want to move ahead in life with confidence.
