From gun culture to education culture - The promise of education Minister -
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 17, 2012 -
Looking at the existing 'pathetic' system of education in the state, it sounds rather baffling to hear that there was a time when people from other parts of the country showed keen interest in sending their wards to Manipur for education.
What we see today is a complete reversal of this educational process. Instead of attracting students from other parts of the country, parents in Manipur today prefer to send their children outside the state for education.
As a consequent, we see thousands of students from Manipur going outside the state in search of better education prospects every year, thereby draining away huge amount of money annually.
With dearth of required infrastructure including proper building and classrooms, shortage of teachers or dereliction of their duties and apathetic attitude of the successive governments towards administration of the schools/colleges being the hallmark of education system in Manipur, the reason behind the preference of parents to send their children outside Manipur for education should not be that difficult for many to seek or find out.
Moreover, academic atmosphere in this land of 'bandhs and blockades' remains subjected to frequent disturbances affecting the mind of the students from concentrating in their lessons.
What's more, students are so vulnerable to various social factors in Manipur, of which there is no dearth, that parents would willingly spend their hard-earned money in packing off their children rather than keeping them here to be used as a card by players from all quarters.
Against this backdrop, the assurance of Education Minister Moirangthem Oken that the public would start seeing changes in the education system within six months and that he would quit the portfolio in favour of someone who can accomplish the task, if he fails to deliver the goods within the stipulated time, sounds interesting.
It is indeed a tall promise, considering the rot within the education department and its system. In fact, the rot in the education department is so deep rooted that the department has become synonymous with corruption and scandal.
It is the only department which has not been able to identify or finalise the actual number of its own employees. Many cases of double appointments or 'ghost' appointments of teachers and employees in the department are yet to be settled despite numerous recommendations of Vigilance Commission and directives from law courts.
In dealing with all these cases, the sincerity of the higher up officials of the department too has always been questioned.
That is why, more than seeing it as a big challenge, the assurance of the Education Minister to bring over a complete overhaul in the existing education system may have been taken with a pinch of salt by many.
Of course, only time will tell whether or not Education Minister Moirangthem Oken lives up to his challenge as well as the expectation of the people, but nonetheless, it is good to hear such tall promises for a change in the education system, which has been long overdue.
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