Text book fiasco
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 12 2011:
All Manipur Offset Printers' Association (AMOPA) has observed that instead of cancelling, extension of the tender notice inviting firms for printing the prescribed text books under Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM) may lead to unnecessary delay in making the text books available to the students in the academic session, 2012 as well.
A meeting of the Association was held at Lamyanba Shanglen to discuss the issue today and decried the decision to extend the tender notice till October 20 as a deliberate attempt on the part of BSEM to give advantage to large printing firms outside the State and deprive the rights of the local printing firms, Joint Secretary of AMOPA I Gandhajit Singh informed in a statement.
Recalling that representations have already been submitted to the Chief Minister, the Education Minister, the Principal Secretary/Chairman and other officials concerned of the Board requesting the signing of an agreement within October 20 and providing necessary materials to start printing of the prescribed text books by the local firms, Gandhajit lamented that instead of giving any positive response to the request, the local printing firms are being made the scapegoats.
Instead of resorting to such tactics, the Board should issue printing order to the local firms so that printing of the text books could be started at the earliest possible to avoid delay in providing text books among the students, Gandhajit pointed out, while drawing the attention of the authorities concerned in this connection.