MEELAL demands review of Cabinet decision
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 13 2013:
Taking strong exception to the Cabinet decision which allows students to take Alternative English in place of any MIL subject for another five years, MEELAL has demanded immediate revocation of the decision.
The Cabinet decision which places preference of Alternative English in place of languages recognised by the State Government is against the interest of all the indigenous people of Manipur.
Speaking to media persons at their office today, MEELAL president Sadokpam Tomba Mangang said that they have been demanding abolition of optional subjects in classes IX and X for the past many years.
As a result of this struggle, Board of Secondary Education Manipur Secretary L Rajmohon issued a notification on March 23 this year which listed Manipuri, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Mizo, Paite, Hmar, Tangkhul, Nepali, Zou, Thadou Kuki, Kom, Vaiphei, Mao, Ruangmei, Sanskrit and Elementary Manipuri as first language for study in class IX and X from 2014-15 session.
The same notification listed English, Science and Social Science as second language and Home Science, Commerce, Information Technology and Higher Mathematics as additional subjects.
Contradictory to this notification, a Cabinet meeting held on June 12 decided to set up sub-committee and look into the possibility of keeping English as an additional subject for another five years.
MEELAL secretary Paonam Thakaba too voiced strong opposition against the Cabinet decision.
He demanded immediate revocation/review of the Cabinet decision.
Paulenmang Kipgen belonging to Thadou community lamented that the State Government has done very little for development of Thadou language even though it has been recognised the language.
For development Thadou language, Thadou students should take Thadou subject compulsorily instead of opting for Alternative English in its place.