Make the feel good emotion infectious : Summer of 2012
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 04, 2012 -

Education Minister M Oken :: Pix - TSE

The feel good emotion is overwhelming. An all India topper in the Class XII examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education in the person of Md Ismat, a tale of true grit, determination and diligence in the young Moirangthem Sapna and the announcement of Education Minister M Okendra that all students who come for admission in the three favoured Government schools, TG Higher Secondary School, CC Higher Secondary School and Johnstone Higher Secondary School would be accommodated and things do not look as gloomy on the education front as before.

Widen the scope beyond the brilliant performance of the young students and the innate goodness of mankind is unmistakable in the prompt response of the people and the State once their stories hit the media.

A State which for once managed to look beyond merely keeping the statistics of the dead and the surrendered and a people who demonstrated that decades of conflict situation and mind numbing incidents have not blunted their intrinsic humaneness and the significance of the story triggered by a touch of brilliance and diligence from the young students will not be lost on anyone.

Saying this then is a turn around for the young students and the whole of Manipur, as far as education is concerned, would be premature and may amount to jumping the gun, but the positive energy emanating from the stories of the youngsters should not end here.

It is here that the enthusiasm with which Education Minister M Okendra has gone about announcing his intention should be put in perspective.

For all his missionary zeal and intent, M Okendra should keep in mind that identifying populist measures with constructive steps to right the wrongs would amount to missing the woods for the trees.

Accommodating all the students who come for admission to the said three higher secondary schools may be in line with the slogan of making Government institutions a viable option for the young students but this does not explain the question of why so many students should knock at the doors of only three Government institutions in the first place.

What has happened to the other Government institutions in Imphal which also offer plus 2 courses ? This calls for a serious study on the functioning and working of the other institutions. What are the shortcomings of the other instutions ?

Why have they not been able to attract much students ? A level playing field should not only be about reservation of seats and posts but should also be about extending equal educational opportunities to all the students of the State.

Why can't institutions like say TG Higher Secondary School be set up and nurtured in the hill districts ? There is the need to make the feel good emotion infectious.

It should spread throughout the nook and corner of the State. In M Okendra Manipur has a young and energetic man, who has already spelt out his intentions, but intentions alone are not enough.

There is a gulf of difference between intentions and what is translated at the ground reality. Harsh it is, but ultimately what will count in the end is not the intention but the result.

It remains to be seen how the Education Minister translates his intentions into results and make the summer of 2012 meaningful.