Bringing children to the centre of social articulation
Manipur's one need

Amar Yumnam *

Convention on the Rights of the Child mentions in clear terms the responsibilities of both parents and the state in connection with the right of the children to know and be cared for. While the Convention itself is not mandatory, almost all the countries of the world do endeavour to care for the needs of the children. In fact, responding to the needs of appropriate intervention to ensure children welfare, there has recently been an explosion of research on issues relating to children.

Children Today: Earlier, under the influence of psychology, children were considered as empty vessels with only the context of filling and the identity of agents filling them as important variables. Today the perspective is really altered. They are now considered as "being" and "becoming". They are human beings today, and the adults of tomorrow.

Core Concerns: The realisation as "being" and "becoming" has brought to the fore so many important areas for research as well as relevant policy orientation. While perspectives of the adult only were taken as the bases for decision making and policy evolution earlier, listening to the children themselves has now emerged as an important field of research.

In fact, the present concern is to evolve appropriate methods and methodology for listening to the perspectives of children. We may recall here the school children of South Africa coming out to the streets this week demanding library and librarians. This has made the government of the country rethink the efficiency and effectiveness of the educational policies so far.

The South African example apart, the policies for children have a lot to do with development and social equity issues. One primary objective of catering to the right to know of children is reduction in the gap between the most advantaged and the most disadvantaged in so far as the opportunities for learning are concerned. This bridging of the gap irrespective of the familial background has implications for psychobiological development of the children, and the future tranquillity of society.

Further education is considered as the best panacea for poverty. While the most disadvantaged children today would naturally come from poor (in one way or another), education would enable them to escape from those constraints when they become adults. This benefit at the individual level has positive implications for the social quality of life as well.

Still further, in the global race for competitive supremacy, there is only one way to run ahead or at least maintain the competitiveness. This is to ensure quality in the present "being" of children so that they are fully equipped to shoulder the socio-economic responsibilities when they "become" adults.

Manipur Scenario: It is in the light of the above that the state as well as the non-state in Manipur needs to rethink in right earnest on what we all have been doing towards our children for the last two-three decades.

One feature we have been observing for quite some time in Manipur. This is the widening disparity in the facilities being enjoyed by children belonging to different layers of economic category. Due to the tragic failure of the state to cater to the fundamental right of the child to know effectively, there have emerged broadly two social categories of parents in so far child education is concerned.

First, we have the most disadvantaged group having no alternative but to send their children to the local non-teaching and non-learning government schools. Secondly, we now have another group of parents who affords private education either within or outside Manipur. Here we must hasten to add that when put together the children in the government schools are definitely at a very psychologically inferior position vis-a-vis those attending private schools.

Another socio-economic feature of Manipur in recent decades is the growth collapse, with no expansion in employment and other opportunities for earning. This has had a telling effect on the ability of parents adversely affected by this to satisfactorily meet the requirements of education for their children. In addition to the above drawbacks, our contemporary social condition is such that there have been academic disturbances more often than warranted. This again has thrown up a new dimension which exacerbates the increasing inequality of education provision between the most advantaged and the least advantaged child.

While the parents of the advantaged child has the orientation and capability to provide a semblance of education at home and an alternative though limited way of making the child spend the confinement at home in more or less productive engagements, those of the least privileged cannot afford to do so. In fact, the lease advantaged children suffer a double squeeze during periods of academic disturbance.

First, the schools they attend do not generally impart effective education. So during the period of disturbance, they generally have a tendency to regress. Secondly, though they are confined to home by the force of circumstances, their parents do neither have the time nor the appropriate orientation to provide a temporary substitute to the school atmosphere.

The Tragedy: The tragedy of Manipur is that the state in particular has not been alive to her responsibilities towards their children, and even more unfortunately, this attitude is being replicated in the non-state sector as well. The result is we are falling behind in every conceivable way.

Let us for instance look at the case of literacy. During the 1970s, every other State in the region was behind Manipur. But now where are we when even Tripura is getting ready to be announced as fully literate State by 15 August 2010.

Where are we, and what are are we supposed to do at this juncture? These are questions inviting collective answer.