Senapati, September 19: The United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWUM), Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have termed the passing of a legislation in Nagaland Assembly regarding the School board issue as a "historic effort of the Nagaland Government".

The Naga organisations said that the Nagas of South (Manipur) in general witnessed one of the most remarkable and historic events to remove the hurdles of affiliation of schools through the decision taken by the Nagaland State Cabinet to adopt an open door policy by allowing affiliation to Nagaland Board of school Education (NBSE) from other areas in the region.

"The subsequent enactment in the 10th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on 18th Sept.

2007 will surely be remembered in the history of the Naga people.

The Government of India is anticipated to appreciate the role model of Nagaland State of Universal Education in consonance with the National Education policy," said the UNC,NWUM,NPMHR and ANSAM in a joint statement.

While lauding the Nagaland Government, the joint statement said that the Naga people in the south welcome the "bold legislation and extend our heartiest congratulation, gratitude and appreciation to Mr Neiphui Rio, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Nagaland, his esteemed Council of Ministers, Mr I Imkong, leader of the Opposition and all the MLAs cutting across party line for making the affiliation process a reality with a vision to introduce a model Education system in the region".

The statement also expressed their gratitude to the Nagaland bureaucracy and NBSE and its staff for supporting and showing solidarity to the noble venture under the aegis of the Naga Hoho and the Naga Students' Federation (NSF).

The Naga organisations also thanked the Naha Hoho and its tribe Hohos, Naga Mothers' Association (NMA), NPMHR, NSF and its federating units and sub-ordinate organisations, Churches, schools, individuals and every Naga people "for their understanding and co-operation in making the efforts of school affiliation a reality.

" We appeal to every section of society in the region to discourage and shun politicising the school affiliation issue because pursuit of education is universal.

The ethnic minority seeking better and suitable syllabus according to the choice of the people under any school Board is a process of building quality education for the deprived", urged the UNC,NWUM,NPMHR and ANSAM.