By L Olivia Ngaineihlian
I always like to take part in all matters relating to educational activities. For proper and advanced education for the youths, I enjoyed peaceful rally, seminars and study tours which could and did enha-nce the quality of all round academical development.
I was a mute spectator when the various Naga students’ organizations decided to introduce NBSE (Nagaland Board of Secondary Education) in the Naga areas of Manipur in Jul 2006. The main reasons cited for this educational transformation were the imposition of the dominant (Meitei) culture and tradition through the prescribed text books of the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM) upon the minorities (tribals and other hill people) and the subsequent order by the Govt of Manipur which bar the private schools in the State from seeking affiliation to CBSE or ICSE, which was deem-ed unconstitutional. Perhaps I did not understand the consequences of our actions then, but when the protest took the form of rallies and the Higher Secondary students were forced to burn their BSEM text books alongwith effigies of the CM and the Education Minister, I started to introspect. A number of students from Ukhrul and Senapati districts bowed to the pressure and duly appeared in the NBSE exams in Feb 2007. But a large number of confused students again appeared in the BSEM exams from Mar-Apr 2007. This being done with the optimistic hope that if they could not pass the NBSE, they might clear the BSEM exam. Some students took transfer certificates from schools in Ukhrul, Sena-pati and Tamenglong Districts and got admitted to schools In Imphal. They did well in the BSEM exams. Unfortunately, there were a few students who could not take the pressure and failed in both the exams. It was a raw deal and disastrous destiny. It is the plight of such fellow students which gave me courage to write this article, and let the truth be shown for all to think over with clearer mind.
Miss Pelmiwon, an intelligent and hard-working girl from a poor family studying in Ukhrul was one of these who were psychologically confused when the educational transformation started. She was not mentally prepared for NBSE. It was already mid session and she was, like other Naga students in Manipur, told to prepare for a different Board. She made an uncertained move to Dimapur for appearing in the exams at Unity Christian Higher Secondary School. It was told that all the arrangements will be made by the student organizations, but this is what she has to say:
“First our books were disposed off. Then we were made to travel with 80 students each in a bus from Ukhrul to Dimapur at 12 O’clock in the night. When we reached Dima-pur, there was no proper arrangement for accommodation and food and no conducive environment for studying. The organisers didn’t do their job well as expected and our future will suffer because of them. When we came back, we had only few days left for BSEM exams. Few of my friends got scared and did not appear but I gathered courage and appeared in the exam. I could not do well and found myself failed in both the boards exams. I am unable to face the consequences apart from blaming everything on the people who played with our lives for their own interests. I cannot do anything to help myself. What will be my future? Will the same thing happen next year? How will my poor parents afford to send me to school again when the future is insecure?” Well, what do you make out of her silent plight to protect her pride and honour?
Her account set me thinking that for a keen student who looks for a bright future and is genuinely interested in learning it dose not matter whether the syllabus is of Manipur or Nagaland or some other State. This is not just an issue for those who are seeking political gains due to their own failure to resolve genuine issues. The questions we must ask our selves are: Are we considering the long term future of our community or are we just putting the future of school children at stake for short term and petty gains? Are we forever doomed to be backward when the whole world is moving ahead? Do we not need a good foundation for educated youth to realise the objective of our community? The plight of students like the Pelmi-wons makes one shudder. Maybe she would have been a reputed writer or engineer or a lawyer for our cause or even leader of national stature. What ever she may have been, she would have definitely been a useful and productive member of society. But now, she languishes in despair, unsure of appearing next year in an even more uncertain syllabus. A further blow to the suffering in education of children came with the burning of many schools in hill districts of Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati on 04th Jul 2007. It seems that 11 Govt-run schools were set blaze by miscreants suspected to be volunteers of ANSAM to make their points clear. The arson at is believed to be linked with the student body’s campaign for switching to the Nagaland Board of Education in the hill schools of the State. This has certainly put a big question mark (?) on the future of “Torch Bearers of our Future”. Let God give us the courage and foresight to guide our people to the correct path. But, then, both Govts (Ma-nipur and Nagaland) sho-uld have given more importance to this tragic academical war of attrition, wherein, the victims are only school students and not political actors. Sure-ly, things cannot be allowed to happen without any positive approach for a better tomorrow.
Source: The Sangai Express
I always like to take part in all matters relating to educational activities. For proper and advanced education for the youths, I enjoyed peaceful rally, seminars and study tours which could and did enha-nce the quality of all round academical development.
I was a mute spectator when the various Naga students’ organizations decided to introduce NBSE (Nagaland Board of Secondary Education) in the Naga areas of Manipur in Jul 2006. The main reasons cited for this educational transformation were the imposition of the dominant (Meitei) culture and tradition through the prescribed text books of the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM) upon the minorities (tribals and other hill people) and the subsequent order by the Govt of Manipur which bar the private schools in the State from seeking affiliation to CBSE or ICSE, which was deem-ed unconstitutional. Perhaps I did not understand the consequences of our actions then, but when the protest took the form of rallies and the Higher Secondary students were forced to burn their BSEM text books alongwith effigies of the CM and the Education Minister, I started to introspect. A number of students from Ukhrul and Senapati districts bowed to the pressure and duly appeared in the NBSE exams in Feb 2007. But a large number of confused students again appeared in the BSEM exams from Mar-Apr 2007. This being done with the optimistic hope that if they could not pass the NBSE, they might clear the BSEM exam. Some students took transfer certificates from schools in Ukhrul, Sena-pati and Tamenglong Districts and got admitted to schools In Imphal. They did well in the BSEM exams. Unfortunately, there were a few students who could not take the pressure and failed in both the exams. It was a raw deal and disastrous destiny. It is the plight of such fellow students which gave me courage to write this article, and let the truth be shown for all to think over with clearer mind.
Miss Pelmiwon, an intelligent and hard-working girl from a poor family studying in Ukhrul was one of these who were psychologically confused when the educational transformation started. She was not mentally prepared for NBSE. It was already mid session and she was, like other Naga students in Manipur, told to prepare for a different Board. She made an uncertained move to Dimapur for appearing in the exams at Unity Christian Higher Secondary School. It was told that all the arrangements will be made by the student organizations, but this is what she has to say:
“First our books were disposed off. Then we were made to travel with 80 students each in a bus from Ukhrul to Dimapur at 12 O’clock in the night. When we reached Dima-pur, there was no proper arrangement for accommodation and food and no conducive environment for studying. The organisers didn’t do their job well as expected and our future will suffer because of them. When we came back, we had only few days left for BSEM exams. Few of my friends got scared and did not appear but I gathered courage and appeared in the exam. I could not do well and found myself failed in both the boards exams. I am unable to face the consequences apart from blaming everything on the people who played with our lives for their own interests. I cannot do anything to help myself. What will be my future? Will the same thing happen next year? How will my poor parents afford to send me to school again when the future is insecure?” Well, what do you make out of her silent plight to protect her pride and honour?
Her account set me thinking that for a keen student who looks for a bright future and is genuinely interested in learning it dose not matter whether the syllabus is of Manipur or Nagaland or some other State. This is not just an issue for those who are seeking political gains due to their own failure to resolve genuine issues. The questions we must ask our selves are: Are we considering the long term future of our community or are we just putting the future of school children at stake for short term and petty gains? Are we forever doomed to be backward when the whole world is moving ahead? Do we not need a good foundation for educated youth to realise the objective of our community? The plight of students like the Pelmi-wons makes one shudder. Maybe she would have been a reputed writer or engineer or a lawyer for our cause or even leader of national stature. What ever she may have been, she would have definitely been a useful and productive member of society. But now, she languishes in despair, unsure of appearing next year in an even more uncertain syllabus. A further blow to the suffering in education of children came with the burning of many schools in hill districts of Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati on 04th Jul 2007. It seems that 11 Govt-run schools were set blaze by miscreants suspected to be volunteers of ANSAM to make their points clear. The arson at is believed to be linked with the student body’s campaign for switching to the Nagaland Board of Education in the hill schools of the State. This has certainly put a big question mark (?) on the future of “Torch Bearers of our Future”. Let God give us the courage and foresight to guide our people to the correct path. But, then, both Govts (Ma-nipur and Nagaland) sho-uld have given more importance to this tragic academical war of attrition, wherein, the victims are only school students and not political actors. Sure-ly, things cannot be allowed to happen without any positive approach for a better tomorrow.
Source: The Sangai Express
