Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 24:
Spelling out the responsibilities of the Joint Task Force (Human Resources), the proscribed KYKL and UNLF today said contrary to the earlier belief that the road to development depend on natural resources, physical resources and infrastructure, it is human resources which is the most important factor for development.
In a joint statement signed by the self styled general secretary of the KYKL Namoijam Oken and self styled general secretary of the UNLF, Narengbam Thabal, the outfits said that the first step to harnessing human resources is providing quality education to the youngsters in consonance with the ground reality.
As such the primary responsibility of the JTF (HR) will be to improve the existing schools and colleges, ITIs, Central Agriculture University and Manipur University.
Efforts will be made to make the people aware of the evils of the corruption prevailing in the process of recruiting and transferring teachers, the faulty policies being adopted while teaching the students, the ill effect of teachers engaging themselves in contract and supply works to enrich themselves, students resorting to mass occupying just to pass the annual examinations, said the statement.
All these factors taken together has led to the gradual erosion of educational institutions which once shone as private institutions but began to rot once the Government took them over.
This is because the State Govt took over the schools with a political agenda and took them under the system propounded by the Government of India.
To better the education system wherein the stress would be on the duty of the teachers and the students to learn, an awareness campaign would be launched, announced the two outfits.
While teachers will be made to realise that their primary duty is to teach values, make students the pillar of the future, the students in turn will be taught of the importance of becoming fit citizens of the land who can contribute their mite to the sake of the land and the people.
Stating that the campaign will start in the four valley districts first, the statement said that each district will come under the purview of the JTF one by one.
The objectives of the campaign will include making the people realise the real essence of education, said the statement and added that the wrong concept that there is no point in educating the young because there are no job opportunities should be negated.
Education is not only for getting a Government job but is about building society said the statement and added once this is realised, then the rate of drop outs will decrease.
Once the campaign is finalised in any district then all educational institutions from the LP level to Schools and colleges will come under scrutiny.
This exercise will be taken up jointly with the Head Master/Principal, teachers and student organisations.
A body to be headed by the head of the institution and christened Teacher Student Action Committee will be formed that will look after infrastructure (building, furniture, toilets etc), facilities (computer training, teaching English, science laboratory, library, playground, sports equipments etc), teaching staff (number of teachers, their names and qualification, attendance, experience and teaching skill etc), non-teaching staff (strength, names and qualifications, attendance, efficiency etc), students (total strength of students, class wise number of students, attendance, yearly drop outs etc), teacherstudent ratio (to be taken up class wise).
Specifically spelling out the agenda for the Central Agriculture University, the statement said that since agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of the place, stress would be given to see that the institute work towards developing new methods suited to the climate and soil of the land.
Efforts will be made for an agriculture revolution, said the statement and added that no efforts will be spared to make Manipur self sufficient in food.
On ITI, the statement said that this institute will be upgraded and modernised as it will have a bearing on the industrial policy of Manipur.