RS Jassal “Education is the process where the powers of human nature becomes developed by good habit” (L) Prof. J.Adler Mortimer (Education Reformer) Education is enlightenment. Education is the empowerment of masses to shape and mould their destinies. It is also the instrument of the enlightened and the empowered to ignite their vision and of mediocre & less privileged human beings in multi- faceted forms, it may be for understanding the intricacies of the nature i.e., cosmology, strengthening the wisdoms, reaching out to technologies and attaining high standards of in learning at research centres, ethics, morals and the aesthetics . Till independence of India i.e., 1947 and a decade thereafter educationalists depended on conventional education aimed at joining blue/ white collared jobs only. With huge expansion in service sector there was a phenomenal rise in student’s enrolment at schools and colleges which remained managed in conventional manners only miserably lacked in infrastructure. India being a vast country and rural based, educational experts realized that some additional system to spread education to every nook and corner of India be introduced. It saw the introduction of non-formal system of education i.e., open schools, open universities and other related institutions to benefit the under privileged people and persons who could not afford to go for further studies in places like Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Chennai and also to assist those who wished to improve qualification’s while in service. However this type of open, distant education and conventional system in vogue were found not commensurate to accommodate upsurge in student’s community, especially so in the North East. To meet this challenge, Govt. of Manipur approved many private schools and gradually but progressively such schools produced excellent results and today toppers list is shared by them every year. Conversely, governmentally run schools went down and down. But one gets surprised when hears about repeated extortion demands on such schools for the past two decades. Considering this, it has to be said that not raising our voice against extortion demands on our schools that are doing yeoman service in shaping our youth is a big mistake. It does not mean that certain anomalies & malpractices set in educational system in both governmental & privately run schools need not be checked or exposed. There are lawful means available to do it & RTI is the right weapon to be used. Extortion from schools by undergrounds is actually extortion from our children and their parents. Education, whether through non-formal or formal system, conventional or non-conventional, malpractices in overall educational system which are attributed to corruption and extortion in various forms has crept in the system. So with degrees multiplying and honest students scholars lagging behind in selections for jobs where honesty, sincerity and creativity is involved , they feel not only disappointed & frustrated but in many cases they commit suicides too. But still we do make a big cry for quality education. Teachers are honoured every 5th September, by student bodies in a dignified manner and now they are resorting to streets, weeks in advance to fleece money from passers-by and citizens. Constitutions of student welfare bodies must be scrutinised. To meet any demand by non- educational organisations by politicians and undergrounds, through processions be banned. It ignites different and negative ideas in the minds of students which ultimately affect the body and mind of the entire society. Above all, if the parents wish to see their ward(s) come up in progress and growth, they (whether educated or uneducated) must guide their ward(s) to positivities & establish continuous contacts with their teachers and prevail on undergrounds to leave education as a free zone. Some chapters like importance of role of religion in one’s life, understanding the meaning of human rights duties and values, vicious affects of corruption and extortion on the societal order in the services, health & education sectors if adopted in school syllabus will surely lead to give quality education which can bring upright youth to evolution for a peaceful State and better understanding of the human core. As said by Socrates “ Education means bringing out the idea of universal validity which is latent in the mind of every man” This is the story of education. Health sector which is again a major building block of healthy society on the edifice of dependable youths and cheerful adolescents can be acquired only with good health care. During Ashoka period King & philanthropists used to establish free dispensaries & hospitals not only for human beings but for animals too taking health as ‘service to God’. With hundred fold increase in population,, eco-environs sufficiently shaken , global warming, adulterated food, contaminated drinking water, lack of hygienic living conditions for majority of people many new set of diseases are appearing and Govt. Hospitals are not sufficient to meet medical needs of populace , Govt. of India and UNESCO have encouraged setting up of new hospitals privately too. 100% costs cannot be borne by the Govt. so medical experts out of dedication and desire to provide health care and create job opportunities for deserving & the needy opened the private clinics & hospitals depending on availability of the resources & loans. In the context of Manipur, there are many – some of very big but others of medium nature. Here in the last two decades it is found that almost all such hospitals and all the privately run (though Govt. approved) hospitals & schools are being slapped with monetary demands from not one group of undergrounds but as many as are carrying some or the other nomenclature . Many a times, chemists had to close down their businesses for days together due incapacity to meet UGs repeated demands. At times even life saving drugs had run out of stock. Meeting one monetary demand leads to consult the corruption reference book which is patent to Manipur only to make up the losses. Who suffers mostly, the poor or say ‘aam admi’. Many specialised doctors are threatened to send their juniors to attend to suffering UG cadres for treatment at risk to their life. It causes fear psychosis though they might have been looked after well. Thus this corruption & extortion move hand in hand overarching the state machinery. Everyone will agree that in Manipur the practice of corruption, terrorism, insurgency, revolution and extortion criss – crosses various sections of society, hills and valley both. In our contemporary situation much to the dislike of the society, the activity of extortion has come to stay. Anti- social elements are mushrooming day by day. To eke out huge sum of easy money in a materialistic world through unlawful taxes, black mailings, ransom vis- a- vis hostage methods are becoming a matter of research. The drama of extortion has different themes viz, kidnapping on account of business rivalry or the administrative diktat or a political hostage for repatriation or extradition and so on. Even in Manipur where extortion has been sadly accepted as an integral part of one’s day to day life, extortion from schools and hospitals cannot be tolerated. It is like stealing the rice meant for BPL families. Scripturs hold a society where teachers, priests and doctors are not shown respect heads for doom. Or is it our majority choice. It is simply eroding our social base. Please watch out!
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