This morning I woke my two nieces up to get them ready for school. One of them said, “Uncle I haven’t done my homework”. I asked why? She told me there is no school today. I didn’t believe her so we did her homework. But she insisted that, there is no school today. So I asked the school. Then I came to know that, private schools in Kanggui area will remain closed indefinitely.
And you want to ask me why? Some of the underground outfits have made monetary demanded from these private schools.
Well I am not a teacher myself but I have had the fortune to work alongside some of them in some of my school visits. I have interacted with the students and teaching staffs. From what I know, private schools are working tirelessly to educate our children despite of their limited resources. Teachers are paid next to nothing compare to government schools. All of the school materials and their school buildings are paid for by their very limited income.
If it wasn’t for these private schools, I wouldn’t have been able to get my much needed education and the same goes for the present generations. We need education so that we can grow as a nation so we need these private schools so very much. As a society we should support them and make sure they are able to do their work without disturbing them unnecessarily.
In a society where the state schools are failing, we must respect and support all the privately run schools. Local authorities and the government must make sure they protect and safeguard the private schools.
For all I know and I am a living testament that education is important because it gives people the baseline skills to survive as adults in the world. Without education I won’t be where I am.
Education gives us some very basic literacy and numeracy, as well as the ability to communicate, complete tasks and work with others. Through education we are able to differentiate right and wrong, the good and the bad, the logical and nonlogical. Education will give us the ability to perform a job safely and accurately and being able to perform a job at all. Education also gives us knowledge that are beyond basic survival skills. The ability to think rationally, The ability to care for others, lead a non-judgemental life and be a good player in building a positive future generation that will thrive.
Eleanor Roosevelt famously said that education is essential to good citizenship and that education is important to life because it enables people to contribute to their community and their country.
Others believe education is important because it helps to answer life’s big questions, including questions of how to live, work and love. Still others believe that education is important because it teaches people about the world around them.
How true are the above statements. We have been behind others for generations because we have failed to acknowledge the importance of a good quality education. We must not continue this trend. Without education we will not be able to get out of our present predicament.
So, I urge all the concern authorities that they should please refrain from putting our private schools in a situation where they have to shut the educational institutions. As a person who cares about children education and on behalf of all the parents who wants their child educated, this is my humble request. Let us also pray that they can all come to a final decision which is favourable and let’s hope that they will put our students first.
Writer: Lien Gangte
