Academic atmosphere review of 2015

Rev Fr Paul Lelen Haokip *

INTRODUCTION:

Practically everyone bats for educational zones as disturbance-free. Great thought indeed. From the educational point of view, the year 2015 has been one of the most turbulent years taking away the precious learning-days of many students - both in the valley and hills comprising of 22,327 sq.km land piece called Manipur.

The reality of 'time and tide wait for no one' is at our doorsteps. The year 2015 is slowly folding up itself whether we permit or not. The idea of Right to Education is a right but the implementation depends much on the local situation. No Central Government personnel are going to position up here to enforce this basic right. And if the locals (we) don't create a conducive situation, it may be almost impossible to achieve this reality.

WHY EDUCATE THE YOUNG:

The young children are a powerhouse of possibilities, an unknown world and creatures of mysterious capacities. The ultimate aim of education is not job-achievement. That is just one of the ends of education.

The essence of education is learning what the world is like, what he/she should be and do in it. It is bringing out of the innate capacities of children through guidance and proper channelization. Education is learning 'civility'. So, a highly qualified person may not have any 'civility'. Thus, he has not been educated properly.

IDEA VERSUS REALITY:

The idea of free and compulsory elementary education was already enshrined in the Directive Principles of the State policy for more than 60 years ago. It has become more relevant with the introduction of The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE), an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009. When things go wrong, we blame every possible agent.

Can we also not take some pages of the blame to ourselves? Hardly, we accuse ourselves of what is happening even in our immediate surroundings. When some small thing is achieved, we fail to share the microphone with others. I agree that 'Ideas rule the world'. I also agree that every idea that does not take concrete avatar remains in the cold pages of books and constitutions.

HOME TO SCHOOL:

Innocent children are reared at home. The mutual bond of connection between the Home and School is indispensable. Children imbibe knowledge from media, the society and most of all from family members. If they are violent and disobedient and unwilling to learn, they must have most probably copied from the home situation. They come to school with family violence and corruption around them. It is almost impossible to change them or orient them towards peace, honestly and civil sense within their short span of time in school (6-7 hours).

FAMILY FEELING:

The feeling of being wanted, being precious and loved is slowing diminishing in our society. The rising modern gadgets of entertainment distance the family members. The parents may be happy to see that their daughter or son is not much complaining because they have purchased a smart phone for him/her. But do they make sure that their child is smart enough in the academics and co-curricular activities of the school/college?

Perhaps a check is needed. The feeling of "when the children are gone to school, I am at peace, the house is in order, there is less nuisance etc" are slowly read by children as "being unwanted", "being a burden" etc. There is also a deep desire of children to get away from home to somewhere. But in this bargain, the schools or day-care centres cannot really serve as dumping places of so called problems. Rather, parents should take their children as programs, not as problems.

Not just begetting children but bringing them up in accordance with the social norms of life is equally expected of parents. Buying an electronic gadget or putting away in a boarding or hostel is not the sole solution of delinquent children. These children mostly need the attention and daily care of the parents. The food habits do contribute to the tantrums and violent behaviour of children.

EDUCATIONAL SECTOR PARADOXES:

Who wants to study in Government school? But who does not want to be employed as a Government School teachers. Almost everybody. Private schools are asked to reduce their fees during strikes and bandhs, while the Government Teachers get their due pay even without attending schools. Parents want the best teachers and best teaching with minimum remuneration to the teachers. Great idea, but not practical.

We bet for the children's right to education, while we callously deny their right to be in the class when issues related with adults hit around. In Manipur, if you profess to be a Government teacher - you are branded as non-working full-paid individual. If you are a private teacher - you are thought to be mediocre and minting money through private coaching centres. There is a grain of truth in each assumption.

Of course there are also a handful of honest and hardworking Government teachers in our state. Kudos to them all. When the children don't do well in examinations, the so called CSOs who usually ban educational institutes hardly turn up to see their future course of studies. The system of mugging up is prevalent and comprehensive studies are hardly available in many parts of the state.

Even the death of a spouse in one single family can close down the educational institutes in the surrounding. Now, where is the Government machinery to facilitate learning and teaching process?

DISCIPLINE IN STUDENTS' LIFE:

Since the beginning of the human civilization, discipline is a serious matter for individual and society. People have been making social and religious norms, rules and restrictions to make people disciplined. Discipline means a way of being honest, hard-working, strict followers of rules and regulations, social norms and values. In case of breaking them, one must be punished.

Discipline makes students good and perfect to behave or deal with life's realities. It is an ornament of the students. People like disciplined students. Students who are not disciplined should be taught to be disciplined. So, discipline plays a great role in the life of students. Discipline learnt at home is the best. Children bring that decorum and way of behaviour to the school environ.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, there is no real conclusion towards formation of children. There is also no conclusion to the hurdles faced by the education sectors. If the anti-educational elements conclude to refrain from further distances, the student community will be most grateful. This gratefulness will be a conclusion to laziness and an opening to hard work to compete at better levels of life.