Bold but bragging decision
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 07, 2014 -

In a sign that speaks volume about the commitment of the Government of Manipur towards the development and promotion of quality education in the State, it is good to know that Education Minister Moiangthem Okendro has acted promptly over the issue of leakage Physics question paper for the All India Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (AISSCE)-2014 conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on March 5.

Besides shooting a written letter to Chairman of CBSE Vineet Joshi seeking strict action against the defaulting officials, the Minister has also reportedly spoken over the phone for conducting re-examination of the "leaked" Physics paper.

On top of this, the commitment of the State Government towards the cause of education in Manipur has been amply demonstrated when the Education Minister convened an emergency meeting of Government officials including Chairmen and Secretaries of Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) at his office chamber in the afternoon of March 6 to thoroughly discussed the conduct of CBSE schools in the State, specially in the light of various complaints raised by some students' bodies regarding malpractices in the conduct of CBSE examinations, where even students who could not get through through the examinations conducted by the State Board or the Council could easily pass the CBSE examinations with flying colours.

While we truly appreciate all these efforts that aim at betterment of the education system in Manipur, however, we can't help but be amazed at the decision of the State Government to come out with a policy very soon to keep the CBSE affiliated schools in the State under its control.

It appears that the State Government has only been waiting for an opportune moment like the leakage of the question paper to assert its rights while remaining blind and mum to all the complaints against the conduct of CBSE affiliated schools in the State all these years.

But the truth is that it is simply on account of the failure of the State Government to monitor the functioning of the CBSE-affiliated schools in the State all these years that it has come to such a pass today where not only the conduct of the examinations but also admission of students just before commencement of examinations are at the whims and fancies of the respective CBSE-affiliated school authorities and other related officials in the State.

On the other hand, we can't also help but be amazed all over again at the guts of the State Government in taking such a bold but bragging decision of keeping the CBSE-affiliated schools under its control when the administration and functioning of Government schools under its own control are no better than any of these CBSE-affiliated schools in this no man's land called Manipur, where the cries for quality education and making education a free zone are just some catchy but empty slogans exploited over and over again by anyone who speaks in the name of education or for the future of Manipuri society.