Sunday, September 16, 2007

Civil society bodies react sharply, Ibobi to pressurize Centre, Govt to ban outside affiliation

IMPHAL, Sept 15: In a quick response to the reported plan of the Nagaland government for enactment of legislation allowing affiliation of schools from outside Nagaland to Nagaland Board of Secondary Education, NBSE, the Manipur government has decided to enforce an ordinance disallowing schools in the state from affiliating to boards outside the state.

All Manipur Students Union, in the meantime, also strongly reacting to the move of the reported move of the Nagaland government had warned the governments of both Nagaland and Manipur that they would be held responsible for any kind of untoward incidents arising out of the school affiliation issue.

As per media reports, the Nagaland government has enacted a legislation (an ordinance?) allowing affiliation of schools from outside the state of Nagaland to NBSE in response to call of the Naga Hoho urging the Nagaland government to expand its parameters of affiliation outside the state under NBSE.

The Nagaland government is also getting ready to table a bill on the matter to the state Assembly session beginning from coming September 18.

The legislation opens the door to fulfill long campaign of NSF and ANSAM to allow affiliation of schools in Naga dominated hill districts of Manipur to NBSE.

In response to this, an emergency cabinet meeting of O Ibobi Singh led council of minister was held today before the chief minister left Imphal for Bangkok to attend North-East India Investment Opportunity Week and approved the enforcement of an ordinance not to allow any of the schools in the state to be affiliated to a board outside the state without prior permission from the state government.

The cabinet discussed threatbare on the possible consequences that may arise in the state owing to the move of its Nagaland counterpart.

Mention may be made that students and guardians of students in the Naga dominated hill districts of the state have been under pressure due to the campaign of the ANSAM backed by NSF and Naga Hoho for switching to NBSE syllabus. Government schools have also been torched and ransacked in four hill districts in an apparent move to prevent students choosing government schools and compelling them to get admission to private schools which have switched to NBSE syllabus.

After a long deliberation on the matter the state cabinet approved a proposal of the state education department to amend section (1) of the Manipur Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 1972, source said.

The cabinet also decided that, before the amendment is done, to promulgate an ordinance for disallowing private schools, aided schools, private and aided secondary schools and colleges in the state including the government run schools to affiliate to a board outside the state without the prior permission from the state government.

The ordinance has reportedly been put up to the Governor for his assent and is likely to enforce from as soon as Governor signs it, the source said.

As approved by the state cabinet, in section (1) of the Manipur elementary and secondary education Act, 1972, a sub clause will be added to make it mandatory to obtain permission from the state government`s concerned authority if a school or secondary or college located in the state wanted affiliation to a board outside Manipur.

The cabinet also reportedly passed a resolution strongly condemning politically as well as socially the move of the Nagaland government taking the stance that it also amount to directly attack to the integrity of a state by another.

The cabinet also entrusted the chief minister with the task of pressurizing the Centre to intervene in the move of the Nagaland government and instruct the latter not to take any decision that may lead to misunderstanding between two states.

The chief minister was also entrusted to sent communiqué³ to the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohon Singh, Union human resource development minister and Home minister to look into the matter, as it not only amounts to challenging the integrity of the state but there is apprehension of occurring ethnic crisis in Manipur because of the step of the Nagaland government.

The state education minister has also cautioned the parents and guardians not to follow to the diktat of some NGOs so as to save students from losing their careers.

In the meantime AMSU on Saturday strongly reacted to the reported announcement made by Nagaland education minister allowing affiliation of schools in Manipur to Nagaland Board of Secondary Education.

The All Manipur Students` Union, in a statement said the announcement of the minister amounts to adding salt in the wound as guardians of students in the hills of Manipur are still hurt by the setbacks caused to their children`s career, who went for Nagaland board examination under pressure from a student group based in the hill areas of the state.

It noted that this year most of the students from Manipur who appeared in the high school leaving certificate exam conducted by the NBSE failed and the students and guardians have still not forgetten this.

The AMSU also said the repeated threats to the integrity of a neighbuoring state from the Nagaland government will gain nothing.

AMSU will not remain as silent spectator and any untoward result arising out of the announcement of the Nagaland education minister should be the responsibility by Nagaland and Manipur government, the statement stated.

The Ethno-Heritage Council, Hericoun, has also expressed its serious concern over the Nagaland government`s step in enacting a legislation that would allow the affiliation of schools from outside Nagaland to the NBSE.

While terming the Nagaland government`s reported step as untenable and unworkable, HERICOUN said it amounted to a direct challenge to the people of Manipur and demanded that the Manipur government give a fitting response.

It maintained that the development has come because of the indifference and inaptitude of the state government, and said it must take appropriate measures now keeping the interests of the people of the state and of future generations in mind.


The Imphal Free Press

No comments:

Post a Comment