Education and change, the essence of development

Ningthem Oinam *

Students appearing for Class XII Exam at Imphal area on 16 February 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

A nation develops a coherent educational strategy, it gets to shine among the stars, a star that never shines down. Education is indispensable for development and is the essence of development. As we look at it beyond the conventional boundaries, it's not just learning, it's far more than that.

People use it to achieve a specific target. Few for the welfare of the others, few for the economy, few for fame. Being educated makes people aware of the basic things and all the rules and regulation around them. It is then they avail their rights. When people are well educated everything changes, everything from economy to health to social environment would improve. As it is said that education is a powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

Education is solution to everything. A nation without education would be as a man without spine and would be like an unknown, solitary man who don't have a distinct entity. As Nelson Mandela said "a good head and a good heart is a formidable combination, but when you add to that a literate tongue or a pen then you have something special." Education will pass from one generation to the other. And if we take a slight look at history, education have evolved over time, so further the generation have gone, better the education had become. So it's better and profitable if we educate this generation.

What a nation or a state requires to become developed, is a good health and education facilities. In states like Manipur, health is good but most education provided is below the degree. Specially, those of the state government.The education in private schools also require an improvement. People in the state prefers the private schools or schools outside the state. But the poor people can't afford the fees of the private schools, so their children remains uneducated or get substandard education by getting into government schools. People in the hilly and rural areas of the state are deprived of quality education.

Therefore, many in these areas remain uneducated. So how are we going to develop when the poor still remain poor and uneducated? So, a change is required in this field. And, there should be no discrimination in education, especially with the girls. We should know that when we educate a man, we just educate a man, but when we educate a girl, we educate a generation.

Many students have to improve during schooling period, because if they don't they will never be able to do it in future. They must try not to use unfair means during examination, as it is a hindrance to education and development. They must try not to be overwhelmed by negative effects of western culture. Western culture is profitable, but not its negative side.

Teacher has to be more sincere, they must analyze and find out what the students are lacking and accordingly take effective measures. The politicians also require change, it is them who are going to run the government. They are good in making sanctimonious talks during election campaign, but when they get their hands over the government they suffer memory loss. They must come up with a better educational policy because it would be profitable for them.

More the higher educational institutes, more the people will be well educated. Many people would become experts in different educational fields. When others will hear about these people, and the improved institutes, many outsiders would start coming. But, all people can't be well educated, some may be weak, but they should'nt remain unemployed, government must try to provide jobs to them which would do enough to ameliorate their livings.

Few can start establishing industries and business. This would create more job opportunities and attract outsiders. And, they must try to bring in more national and international companies in the state because industrialisation is important factor leading to urbanisation and modernisation, which would symbolize development. And to be developed, we have to be known by outsiders in such a way that they would try to contact us.

The fate of the country will depend on its education. Education is the seed that when planted grows into a tree that never stops providing food and never gets old. It leads us to everything. But, people also have to be less antagonistic to one another because we can't move on with antagonism.

In this world, we may be familiar about the places around us, but we are living in an unknown world and surviving in this unknown world is pretty tough, but education can make it easier. And, to bring better education everyone requires change. It is important to remember what Elbert Einstein said, "The world as we have created it is the process of our thinking and it cannot be changed without changing our thinking". And, we are the change that we need, so never wait for others to change.

We must change for education and then change with education. The procedure of changing must be the amalgam of everyone's thinking. There is a saying, "We can't be afraid of change, we may feel very secure in the pond we are in, but if we never venture out of it, we will never know there is such a thing as ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the reason why we don't have something better".

Many nations came up with better strategy and proved their country to be a better nation. So, if they can, why can't we. And if we have an opportunity to bring a light change that can bring a heavy change, why to waste it.