Education infrastructure
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: October 16, 2012 -

It is not a recent thing that Government colleges as well as aided colleges have been enduring all kinds of shortfalls and inadequacies. The problem is years old and has become something chronic.

Yet, the saying goes 'No man is perfect'. Same is the case with any Government elected or otherwise. But there is a wide gap between being perfect and efficient.

When the Government is inefficient, one cannot expect a perfect institution. The problem in colleges is not about absence of some particular infrastructure or a few staff.

The fact is, almost all the colleges are either ill-equipped or understaffed or both. In short, all the colleges are marred by all sorts of shortages and inadequacies.

Starting from the highest echelon of Director to the lowest post of Chowkidar, there are shortages both in Education department as well as colleges. There is shortage of necessary infrastructure starting from buildings to toilets.

The deplorable condition of schools/colleges, both Government and aided are known to every Tomba, Chaoba and Hongba. If not all, conditions of majority of Government schools and colleges are pathetic, to say the least.

In the absence of Higher Education Director and regular Principals in most of the colleges, no development programmes can be executed in time or in proper manner. These colleges and schools are facing shortage of even the most basic infrastructure like desks and benches.

It was only a few days ago when TSE reported lack of science equipment and chemicals for practical classes in many colleges. Such story though pathetic sounds comparatively better.

In hill districts, many schools and colleges were doing without their buildings. Even if the schools and colleges have their own buildings, they were found used for other purposes than education. As if this is not enough, many colleges are facing shortage of teaching staff.

What is rather interesting is that some schools, if not colleges, have teachers and necessary infrastructure but no or little students.

With the Government doing very little to make up these shortages, a general notion has evolved that these shortages and shortfalls are there to stay for good. But this does not mean that the Government was not considering the matter.

Certainly, the Government would be investing money in the educational institutions and for that matter the education sector from time to time. Reports have been published on several occasions about construction of school buildings under different schemes.

At the other end of the spectrum, even meals are provided to children, apart from infrastructure and staff under the Mid-Day Meal scheme. But it remains that these schools and colleges are stilled plaqued by myriad shortages despite all the measures taken up by the Government.

Given such a background, the decision of college students to launch relay hunger strike cannot be simply dismissed. What is important is not the agitation. What is crucial is ensuring students of the State get quality education after making up all the shortages and inadequacies.

After all, students are future pillars of the society and ensuring them quality education is a compulsion. For something of such importance and compulsion, there cannot be any excuse to let the educational institutions rot on their own.

In addition to exploiting all sources of fund for revamping educational institutions, Government should find out the loopholes where funds sanctioned for schools and colleges are hijacked midway.

Here, Mr Education Minister must concentrate on result oriented actions instead of proclaiming on public platforms to bring about positive changes in education system.