Manipur Education Service, the right approach
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 18, 2012 -

Ningombam Pramod from the desk

In comparison to other states, Manipur has been lagging behind in almost every sphere, and every new approach over any issue adopted in the state seems to totter at the end.

In the latest move, the state government has come up with an approach to bring about some positive changes in the field of education.

In a state like Manipur where the education system is at its worst stage, we all know that a drastic change in the educational set up is required so badly.

Considering the need to bring about this change, the state government has for the first time decided to establish Manipur Education Service.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held on May 16. The Manipur Education Service (MES) which has been initiated by the government of Manipur for the first time in the state seems to be the right approach at the moment.

The cabinet meeting minutely discussed issues related to bringing about quality education and gave its approval on setting up of the Manipur Education Service in the line of Manipur Civil Service (MCS) and Manipur Police Service (MPS).

If this is the case, then perhaps the education system in the state, which has been lying on rot for a long time and has been described as the most corrupt department in the state, may get a new lease of life at long last.

It has been rightly pointed out in media reports that the present education system in Manipur requires a drastic change, both in the organizational structure as well as the departmental administration.

In this regard, the student organization, DESAM has also assured the state government and its related authorities of extending full and unconditional support to the task of reforming and developing education system. In both the cases, everything seems to be marching towards the right path.

But it remains to be seen how far the new approach goes to see the light of the day in Manipur where every move of the government seems to fall apart with no long term strategies.

Having said this, we cannot deny the importance of the new approach adopted by the government towards bringing about a drastic change in the educational set up of the state.

None of the previous governments have ever tried this far for a change.

In fact, setting up of MES is likely to bring about a total change in the mindsets of the parents thereby encouraging them to send their children to government schools rather than to private schools at the prospect of spending huge amount of money, if everything goes on well.

It will also bring an end to the problems faced in transfer and posting in the Education department on account of the undue intervention from IAS and MCS officers holding posts in the department.

No matter, how right it is or how error prone it might be, there certainly is a need for a change in the prevailing education system, and for a change to occur there should be a beginning, the beginning can certainly be the proposed MES.