Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, Jul 06:
The All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has said that it outrightly rejects the report in a newspaper in the July 3 edition which said that some organisations and NGOs are forcing the private schools and their authorities to prescribe the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE).
ANSAM termed the reports as "the vile and cheap propaganda of the Government of Manipur (GOM) to confuse and misinform the general Naga people as reported in an Imphal based newspaper on July 3, 2006".The Naga students said that it was very unfortunate to learn that the Government of Manipur is directly challenging the aspiration of Naga people by curtailing the right to education of their choice.
"The Government of Manipur's attempt to intimidate the private schools by threatening to de-recognize them should they opt for NBSE syllabi is unfortunate.
The Naga students are prepared for the worst," said ANSAM.
The ANSAM statement issued by its information and publicity secretary Sounii Khapa said that the right to free choice of education is an unquestionable democratic right.
Even Article 30 of the Indian Constitution provides for the rights of the minorities to establish and administer the educational institutional institutions of their choice, said the ANSAM statement, adding "and we have every right to choose the Board/University of our choice whether inside or outside the state.
In Delhi, many schools/institutions are affiliated to foreign Universities.
And some schools/institutions in the state of Maharastra have opted for syllabi of another state".
The Naga students' body further stated that Naga organizations or NGOs have, at no point of time, forced any school/institution in the four Naga districts of Manipur to use other syllabi.
We are only expressing our desire to have a common educational administration.
The Government of Manipur and its machineries should realize the imposition of BSEM syllabi upon the Naga students denies the democratic right to education of the Naga people, said ANSAM in a statement.