Education is a Fundamental Right of every citizen. The character and quality of a man greatly depend on the education imparted to them at different levels in his life. In this vision our Constitution guarantees to establish and administer educational institutions in the private sector by individuals or groups.

Now in our State, in every level of education from primary to secondary and even to college level, private schools outnumber the Government schools. Students coming out from private schools excel in merit, quality and quantity also. At the same time private schools provide employment to many educated youths.

But all is not well with the functioning of the private schools in the state.

The recent expose of the working system and mode of teaching of a private higher secondary school in Imphal more precisely about the engagement of special tutors on the arrival of Class XII examination calls for close scrutiny of all the working system of private schools in Manipur.

In the days of admission, the head of the institution publishes the names of many learned and distinguished degree holders as the teachers of the school. Then we can conclude that these private schools have got experienced teacher in the teaching staff.

At the same time the students who have got the opportunity to admit in these schools further seek private tuition from other sources.

Then again engagement of special tutors by the school authority that is also the lecturer of Government colleges and higher secondary schools shows the lack of confidence to the services and experience of the already appointed teachers in the respective schools.

In the case of the Higher Secondary School which has received a shock from ONK of an outfit some questions do come up in their system of teaching. What is the rationale behind the selection of only 50 (meritorious) students in a class of 691 for special coaching while other 641 are also eligible for appearing the same Class XII examination?

Is it not the duty of the school to provide equal treatment to all the students? Is it not the duty of the teachers to give more emphasis to the weaker students if the 641 students are weak? Will it be a great pride for the Higher Secondary in question if all the 691 students of the school occupy from 1st to 691st position of the COHSEM in 2007?

Depriving equal learning facility to its own students is just like feeding ones own children in different doses and taste. It is nothing short of a crime, a white colour crime indeed.

The number of working days in an academic session in Manipur in a calendar year is 150 days at the maximum. Let us take it 200 days with examination days and days of other co-curricular activities. If so, in the stage of Higher Secondary level having only Class XI and XII, in the school, the teachers have got only 400 days at the most to teach a student.

It is hard to digest the belief that the credit of making a topper in the Class XII examination of the COHSEM will go only to the school from where the student appear in the Class XII examination and not to the schools where the students begin his or her schooling in the primary and high school stage. The reputed private Higher Secondary Schools only have a slight push made at the back of the Gold medal winning athlete near the finishing line and claim the credit and reap the harvest of the labour of others.

Let me make here an honest appeal or a 'Back to Honesty' movement of Mr Stephen Leacock. It can be done as an experiment or if it is taken as a challenge then it will be better. Let the elite group of Private Higher Secondary Schools whether it is Herbert or HRD or any other admit only those students who pass the HSLC examination in the 3rd division and simple past only.

In two years time if these school can produce first ten top students in the Class XII examination, then they are really good. In that situation, the Government school teachers have no moral right to continue as a teacher. Without any malice what the writer want to focus here is that the best students who are already in the group of toppers are attracted towards the reputed private schools and they should have to be treated properly and equally.

The Private School are making to produce best among the best without much pain while the Government and other not so popular Private Schools are trying to make the best from amongst the mediocres or from amongst the worsts.

The nature of administration and working of the Private School need to be looked into and re-organised and re-oriented in the context of the ground realities. To begin with, privately run schools, the so call elitist but not so elitist, to which there is an unholy scramble every year, toppers are persuaded to admit in the school with so many promises and scholarship.

At the same time below mediocres are also allowed to admit as a source of income. These schools charge ludicrously high amount in the name of providing latest amenities to the students - amenities which often remain on paper only.

Admission to these schools often burns a hole in the pockets of the parents and at the same time encourages and enlarges the existing disparities in our society dividing the student as well as the parents community into haves and have nots.

The Supreme Court laid down strict guidelines to stop commercialisation of education by private schools.

Among other guidelines, the former Chief Justice VN Khare on 27th April 2005 by 2-1 majority in the three judge bench directed that it is mandatory for every recognised private and unaided schools to file yearly financial statements disclosing its income from fee-collection and other expenses as well as the profit and surplus before the authorities.

So coming to the end point, a realistic look at the existing scenario is called for, if required with the active participation of clubs, associations, NGOs or any other organisations who are prepared to work selflessly to promote the cause of education in the state.

Only then it will be useful in the long run.