Core point to becoming smart : Let’s talk about education
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 07 2015 -
Smart citizen, smart energy, smart healthcare, smart building, smart technology, smart governance, smart mobility, smart infrastructure.
These are but some of the points outlined to make a Smart City or to make a city smart.
After the State Government, in line with the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced that inputs and suggestions would be sought from the people on how to make Imphal a Smart City, a number of eminent citizens and readers have come forward to put their ideas on how to make Imphal a Smart City.
All the suggestions are solid and will certainly go a long way in helping Imphal make the cut for the first list of 20 cities to be made a Smart City.
And it stands that all the components listed above revolve around education. Education as understood in the formal context of schooling and higher learning.
This is where inputs from academicians and those directly involved in imparting education to the young students will prove to be beneficial.
As things stand today, school education, at least up to the level Class XII is acceptable here, but the less said about education at the college level, the better it would be.
This is the reason why thousands of students feel compelled to step outside the State to pursue their higher studies, once they finish Class XII.
Unfortunate it is that no serious thought seems to have been given to this, for such a trend is a big burden on the parents and guardians.
How many colleges in Manipur can actually make it to the list of commendable institutions prepared by independent bodies ?
As stated above, education till the Class XII level is okay but how many students from outside the State actually land up here to pursue school education ? This should be food for thought.
Why isn’t Manipur able to attract students from other parts of the North East region, like what Shillong and Darjeeling once used to do ?
This is where everyone, including those directly involved in imparting education to the young students, student organisations and the numerous civil society organisations need to come together and talk things over.
There should be a reason why Manipur has so far not succeeded in attracting students from any other States of the North East region.
This is where it needs to be acknowledged that school education is something much more than what schools have to offer, but involves the overall atmosphere.
Why should young students be made to take part in any issue, which are strictly the affairs of the adults of society ?
Does it make any sense to drag the young students out from their classrooms and make them participate in protests and dharnas against the Government ?
Time to come to the realisation that in jeopardising the academic pursuit of the young students, the future of the people and the land is being compromised.
Any attempt to make Imphal a Smart City without addressing the basic point of education for the youngsters will fall flat.
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