Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 03:
With the primary aim to inculcate collective knowledge of indigenous culture, history, geography and social norms on the younger generation, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (Desam) has urged all schools in the state affiliated to the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) to teach social science texts from Class VI to IX standard prescribed by the Board of School Education Manipur (BSEM) instead of NCERT text book.
The Manipur Board social science texts covering history, geography and civics should be taught with effect from the current academic session failing which the defiant institutions should owe responsibility, cautioned Desam's secretary general LC Santosh in a media briefing at its Keishampat head office this evening.
Desam with the consent of the public would take the final decision to act against schools that ignore the appeal, he maintained.
commenting on alleged negative impact of learning social sciences text book prescribed by NCERT under the CBSE syllabus, Santosh said such texts are filled with historical and geographical aspects of mainland India and same being prescribed under the strong influence of Govt in the Centre from time to time.
Elaborating on his assertion, Santosh pointed to the erstwhile BJP-led Government during whose stint social science text books were based on Hindu-inclined curriculum while the Congress emphasised on its achievement/role in India's freedom movement in addition to manifestation of the Gandhi family.
"When our young students keep on learning such syllabus devoid of our culture, tradition, history and geography, the sense love of their own State would be lost and at the end of the day Manipur's socio-ethnic charm would diminish consequently resulting in the native people a confused lot to present themselves in international fora," he further stated.
Reminding that all developed countries make it mandatory to impart lessons on their respective history, geography and culture in the school curriculum, the student leader maintained that DESAM took the decision on the text book issue in accordance with decision adopted by the United Nations in 1995 on the International Decade for the World's Indigenous and Ethnic People.
Insistence for entertaining DESAM's suggestion does not construe that social sciences texts prescribed by the BSEM is the best bet but at this juncture there is no other better options, he clarified and reiterated his appeal to CBSE-affiliated schools to embrace Manipur Board text books to contribute in building a self-respect and healthy society.