New Education for new Manipur 6

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E-Pao! Education - Completely new education for a new Manipur - 6

Completely new education for a new Manipur
— With special reference to the hills —
Part 6

By: T. Vunglallian *

The above examples reveal that the existing transfer and posting policy is made use of by not much more than 5% of the entire teaching community. This further reveals that it is the shifting/transferring out – without replacement - of this small percentage of staff, effected over a decade or two, that resulted in the acute shortage of teachers in the hills, over and above those who retired or died... but were never replaced!

Now the questions that arise are:

Why should a whole community of 30,000 plus strong be constantly blamed for the acts of just a tiny handful?
Why should education in the hills of Manipur suffer because of this handful of teachers?
Why shouldn't, therefore, all existing policies that pander to a tiny handful, and leading only to a Pandora's-box of problems for the majority, be not done away with, forever?

This writer also draws attention to the a very unfair practice, viz. whenever a teacher is transferred from, say, DM College or Johnstone High School, students of the affected institutions launch such strong protests that the government, more often than not, buckles down and the orders are not effected... Except that the lesser known college - especially if in the hills - lands up losing their 'transferred' teacher, while the agitating college benefits doubly!

Interestingly, the demand of the valley students to stop the transfer of their teachers – especially the ones who had been serving in their college/school for a very long time, including beginning their services there – just goes to prove the merit of the writer's proposal for a policy that stipulates a life-time service in one institution! Which is exactly what the agitating, protesting students' demands 'say'! (And if, mind you, they do not protest a 'not so good' teacher's transfer, even more is said!)

So, in the light of the above revelations, beside ushering an era of hope, the creation of the two services turns out to be simply formalizing an existing reality – that even students want – that is conveniently brushed under the carpet... a carpet lifted partly every now and then, by manipulators, for their pockets and convenience... and caring two hoots for voiceless institutions.

Why normal Govt 'Transfers' are not for teachers: It is important here to understand the reasons behind the proposal that Government teachers should be appointed for a particular school/college and, thereafter, remain serving at that particular institution till retirement day... without ever being transferred!

Normally, one of the main reasons for a Govt servant to be posted and transferred here and there, every now and then, is to discourage corruption, nepotism and vested-interests taking root. In that sense transfers help check corruption etc. It is a good time-tested rule.

What, however, is normal and good for all government servants is not good for teachers, is the view of this writer. He presents and rests his case based on what is happening in and to Manipur's Govt schools and colleges... where transfers have helped ruin education in the state.

There is, still, a far deeper and stronger reason. In the case of a teacher, specifically, the very nature and calling of her/his profession necessitates each teacher to develop a vested-interest in the school or college where she/he has been posted/is serving.

In fact, she/he should sink her/his roots as deep as possible and then do all one can to grow in every respect in that one institution.

The purpose of this vested interest taking root is to see that, on the one hand, the teacher blooms into an experienced teacher who gets better and better with each passing year; gets to know her/his students, the feeder society and place as well as one's palm to be able to 'foretell/plan' for its young/future.

All this, while, on the other hand, the institution grows in stature and reputation year by year, brick by brick, batch by batch of students passing through its portals. The vested interest extends to the other teachers as a team and so on to the institution as a whole ... that grows to become a living, caring and dynamic entity.

With the sky only as the limit! Building up such a reputation – individually, as a team/subject/department and as a living institution takes time ... time to be measured not in years but decades of sustained good, hard, sincere work.

It is, therefore, only after much sustained dedicated service that the teacher, the team of teachers/ Department and the institution – all together - become known throughout the town, city, district or State... if not more. So much so that when reputations become such, that students and parents should say: "In such and such school/college the teachers are excellent... the Physics and Geography labs are the best this side of Calcutta ... that the Department of History or Chemistry or Philosophy is the best in the state/or beats GU hands down" etc.

Resulting in: "I am going there to study" or, "I am going to send my child/ward/grandchild there"! Or, of one's own school/college that was good and unforgettable: "As long as Ma'am Mary and Sir Tomba are there, I'll send my child there!"

(This is what this writer, in one of his presentations to the Commission on Higher Education, had called – "The teacher as an institution unto herself/himself".).

It goes without saying that, it is this carefully nurtured reputation of the individual teacher, the subject/department teachers and the institution, as a whole, that become the main attraction for prospective students, from far and near.

If the reputation is good, students shall queue up to enroll, no matter where the institution is located! And it is these happy students who will become the grateful and nostalgic parents who will want to send their children and their grand-children to their old school/college ... to be taught by their old teachers... or walk its corridors, study in its classrooms and play on its fields!

Thus, the point being led up to is that ... once appointed and posted the teacher should serve and work to become integral to the institution ... which she/he shall help build up, give the time. And that necessitates ... no transfers!

Some great differences between teaching and other Govt services

Now, most pertinent to all the above is that the Government, the people, parents, students and teachers themselves must not treat teacher's work as similar to any other Government servant's work.

Because, the teacher's work has the imperatives of inbuilt immediacy and person-to-person contact, much like doctors and nurses. So, the teachers' work is to teach/interact with students with whom they have to be face-to-face, mind-to-mind for every period/class... every working day of every year of service!

So it is that a teacher's 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th periods of Monday cannot be missed at that time on that day! Each 45-minute's period/ class must be taken as per the routine. Because, once a period/class is missed, or not taken, it is as good as gone forever. The only way to make up the loss is to take extra classes outside the set routine, etc.
(This is something that good teachers still do in 2006 ... and this is not suggesting "tuitions"!)

Finally, the unbridgeable difference between Government teachers and all other Government servants is that, the latter can take unfinished work/files home and work over the weekends, or late into the night etc. Whereas, the teacher must take her/his class, as and when scheduled, because she/he cannot take her/his students home, or things like that, to make up for missed classes.

Obviously, and silly as that may sound, that is precisely the crux of the matter ... that which differentiates the teachers and the profession of teaching from other government servants and their work!

Fourth: Reducing the number of problems so as to move on.

To better and further appreciate the proposal for two separate services, one must not ever forget that the valley of Manipur is spread over 2,238 or so sq. km. only, whereas the hills measure about 20,085 sq. km.

Common sense tells us that under "Manipur Valley Education Service" (MVES) the closely located valley schools and colleges, contained naturally in a 2,238 sq.km. area, have, as good as, absolutely similar problems and, more or less, their absolutely similar solutions.

Thus, under MVES it would be easier, simpler, better, quicker, cheaper and most ideal to manage its schools and colleges ... the farthest apart of which are but an hour's Gypsy ride away.

In fact, in the valley - under MVES – it would be easy to provide, maintain and monitor the most modern education anyone could wish for!

In short, the problems of education in the valley would be as good as solved 100%, mainly because of a most enviable physical connectivity. And in the pursuit of excellence, clubbing of institutions/ downsizing/rightsizing/pooling of resources and facilities etc. could become a most practical reality!

Also, because of easy physical verification, things like shortage of teachers, lack of infrastructure or equipment, the scams of today and the problems faced by students, parents or teachers etc. could be a thing of the past. So, in all ways MVES can solve each and every problem and need of education in the valley.

What more could one ask for on the road to ... assured good education in the valley!?

Then again, most importantly, as if by magic, one of the two major headaches/problems faced by the Education Departments (Schools and Hr. Education) of Manipur would be solved ... leaving only one headache/problem left to be solved, viz. the problem of education in the hills.

A corollary bonus would be: the hills cannot ever again blame the valley for any problem or failure as far as education goes! The gargantuan task before the Manipur Hills Education Service (MHES), compared to that of the MVES, would be most daunting, given the distances, terrain, remoteness/isolation/backwardness and in-hospitability of some locations.

However, geared by its very constitution to deal specifically with the hill problems and their solutions that are, as good as, more similar than dis-similar (as compared to problems of the valley schools/colleges), there would be one all-important difference, viz. the presence of hope! Because, for the first time the hills would have hope, which was something they could never really have under the old education system.

Now to put everything in perspective and in brief: What more could Manipur ask for, than the good chances of providing its citizens a good standard of education through the two services, Manipur Hills Education Service (MHES) and Manipur Valley Education Service (MVES)?

Now imagine this: If the MHES lives up to expectations, then valley students too would vie for seats in hill schools and colleges, because - over and above good teaching etc. – the climate and novelty of a hill-station education may decide the choice of where to study.

Just as people are so attracted to Shillong, Darjeeling, Nainital, Mussoorie, Ooty etc. that they take great pains and great journeys to enroll in institutions in the hills. That would not only change the economy, the mindset, the aspirations and the speed of development but also silence the loose talk of "integration/disintegration!"

In short, Manipur Hills Education Service and Manipur Valley Education Service would, at long last, help Manipur move on!

Fifth: Confidence building measures vital for the two new services

The idea, however, of a New Education and a new Manipur can never become a reality without the teachers and the Government headmasters/principals turning over a new leaf. This, admittedly, is a very tall order, going by the prevalent dismal mindset and work culture of Government teachers and headmasters/principals and department officials.

Therefore, what is needed is – the new teacher, the new Headmaster/ Principal and the new Government officials. (To go on: New student organizations and new political bosses would surely make things easier).

To begin with, all stake-holders, including parents and students, must realize that the Government's standard, stereotype and run-of-the-mill remedies are to be dropped and forgotten for good.

Read Part 1 | Read Part 2 | Read Part 3 | Read Part 4 | Read Part 5 | Read Part 6 | Read Part 7 | Read Part 8 | Read Part 9 | Read Part 10 | Read Part 11 |

T. Vunglallian wrote this article for The Sangai Express. The writer is a retired Lecturer of Churachandpur College. This article was webcasted on November 14th, 2006.

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