IMPHAL: Maintaining that the government is aware of the business oriented private schools mushrooming up along with various coaching and tuition centres in the state, chief minister N Biren has noted the need to check such private schools and coaching centres. The CM was speaking as chief guest of the prize distribution function held for top rank holders of class X and XII examinations conducted by Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (CoHSEM) respectively at City Convention Centre on Saturday.
While urging the government teachers to put in serious effort towards improving Government educational institutes in the state, Biren said that parents nowadays are spending huge amounts of money in children’s education, which he said is mainly due to emergence of coaching/tuition culture and degradation of government educational institutes. Therefore, considering the problems being faced by people of low income groups, the government will look into the issue of government teachers taking up private tuitions at home or at coaching centres and neglecting their duties in the school. He also informed that there have been instances where the question papers of HSLC and HSSLC examinations got leaked with the involvement of examiners and private school authorities.
The government is also well aware of the fact that if the students of private schools secure positions in the board and council examinations, these private schools get the opportunity to attract more students and thus making such schools business oriented institutions. CM Biren further said that in order to streamline the education system and to have proper control over the mushrooming of private schools and coaching centres, the Manipur Private Schools (Registration) Bill, 2017 and the Manipur Coaching Institute (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2017 would be tabled in next State Assembly session.
The chief minister acknowledged that common people’s wish of giving proper education to their children at affordable cost can’t be fulfilled if the Government educational institutes do not improve. “Although, education is one of the thrust areas of the Government apart from health and infrastructure/ communication sectors, no improvement in education sector is possible without the sincere and serious effort of teachers,” he added. As one of the initial steps for bringing improvement in the education sector, completion of construction of 50 schools (41 schools under SSA and nine under RMSA) had been included in the 100 days programme, the chief minister informed. Stating that the government is planning to introduce vocational training in 40 colleges soon, the chief minister said that deliberations are being made to consider enrolment of even school dropouts in these courses.
He further said that the government would open a District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) centre for Imphal East district soon. The government is also planning to bring out a trans-parent transfer and posting policy for teachers and heads of institutions under the Di-rectorate of Education (S) as soon as possible, he said, while adding that teachers will be posted in the hills and valleys on rotational basis.
Delivering the presidential speech, education minister Th Radheshyam said that the new government led by chief minister N Biren Singh decided to give thrust to education and health sectors. As such, a brainstorming session with ZEOs, Headmasters/Principals and teachers with the top officials would be held after the prize distribution function to find out ways and means of uplifting education sector, the minister divulged.
He further said that for the first time, the government also decided to organise prize distribution function jointly for the rank holders of Class X and XII examinations conducted by BSEM and CoHSEM respectively.
The Minister expressed hope that the prize winners would motivate other students to work harder and achieve better milestones in future. Stating that one should not get discouraged with failures, the minister observed that students should not forget to learn lessons from their mistakes.
During the function, CM N Biren also launched a website www.edusuggest.in which will immediately connect all the stakeholders with the government to foster decision making and public participation in the education sector.
Later, the chief minister distributed commendation prizes to the top 10 position holders of Class X and XII examinations. He also honoured top 10 students of government schools, who secured highest marks in these two examinations.
Principal Secretary (Education-S) Vineet Joshi, Education (S) Director Th Kirankumar Singh and CoHSEM chairman L Mahendra Singh also attended the function as guests of honour.
Source: The People’s Chronicle
