Teaching Profession and its Perception in Manipur
- Part 2 -

Ceety Khongsai *

Little Flower School's Golden Jubilee Celebration :: 16-18th October 2008 :: Pix - Atom Samarendro / David M Mayum

The missing link in this quality campaign is the over-simplification of the role of teachers on the issue and lack of participation of the teachers. It is irrefutable fact that there has been mass awareness among the public about the need of quality education but true education or for that matter, quality education can be brought about only when teachers are in the frontline.

As long as our teachers are not properly honored and respected in the society true education will not become a reality. Institutions are the seat of learning where teachers sowed the seeds of knowledge and wisdom into the inquisitive minds of the students. In a state like Manipur where there is limited job market the chances of getting the most coveted white-collar jobs sans good academic proficiency is like a cry in the wilderness.

And, it will be a sin than sinning to believe that true quality education can be attained by listening to the honeyed speeches of the politicians and self-proclaimed champions of education in platforms and other public places. Had it been possible to attain quality education in market sheds, community halls, playgrounds etc. where doctored speeches of the ministers are delivered, the entire people of Manipur would have been scholars!

It would have been a history if the so-called self proclaimed champions on education bring quality education through street campaigns, slogans, postures etc. without active participation of the teachers!! Their motives are loud and clear. In order to become one of the Sanhedrin Council members of the State Assembly these pseudo educationists use the education plank as their springboards. What they didn't know is the fact that true education is imparted in classrooms by the teachers!

On Govt. Teacher:

In Manipur, now-a-days, there has been a mad race among the parents for admission of their wards in English Medium Private Schools. It has also become a general practice to give balms to the school authority to get admission of their children.

My question is, why do prefer comparatively more expensive private schools to low fee or no-fee government schools? Why do we abandon government schools and opted happily for more expensive private schools? Does quality education really come from comparatively more expensive schools? Parents boast off in mend's circles about their child getting admission in private schools like Nirmalabas, Little Flowers, St. Joseph, Don Bosco etc.

On the other hand, admitting one's child in government schools is being considered as a mark of poverty and shame! Nevertheless, when it comes to reality it will be a gross mistake to make comparisons between private and government teachers especially in higher institutions because selection of teachers in government schools/institutions are done by the Public Service Commissions on the basis of "best of the best" criteria, where good academic proficiency and excellence outweighs the 'work harder' mediocre academic record holders.

All parents and guardians must know beforehand about the educational qualifications of the faculty members before admitting their wards in private schools. Good teachers beget good students and quality students come from quality teachers. The problem at hand in government educational institutions is not the teachers but the law makers and its enforcement agencies.

On Motivation:

Every human being needs motivation in order to scale to higher heights of development in every walk of life. All mortal human beings as a natural rule need to be encouraged, inspired and motivated to achieve the desired goals or objectives in any enterprise. Teachers are not exception to this natural rule.

Motivations may be in the form of promotions, incentives, recognition etc. whichever means that promotes the performance of the employees in the organization. The high motivational opportunities in private institutions as compared to low motivational opportunities in government institutions as is reflected today substantiate our point.

As it is known to all, promotions in government departments hardly come in a normal time-process but the side-pocket or under table money work as magic in getting promotions rather than on sincerity and hard work. Contrarily, in private institutions where profits being its foremost concern, employees are enthusiastically motivated by the management to work hard to get incentives thereby exploiting in optimum the best out of the employees.

In the process, the management benefited from the employees by exploiting their best skills and expertise and the employees got the opportunity of recognition and development of their best faculties. In contrast to the close management-employee relationship in 'private institutions there is little concern in government institutions towards its employees from the authority in matters of promotions as well as in service matters.

As a result, the morale of the teachers are affected so much so that many of them considered their service as unattractive and undignified in the eyes of our present day materialistic society where dignity of a person is calculated in terms of material possessions.

Conclusion:

It may be concluded that teaching profession is unquestionably and irrefutably noble as nothing is more sublime and noble in human society than the job of a teacher. It is the teachers who filled the minds of the pupils with oceans of wisdom and knowledge irrespective of how the society looks towards his selfless service.

As the great Greek political philosopher Plato had said, "Society is the product of human mind and the finest product of the mind is the society", so also the perception of the society towards the teachers is the product of our substandard education of yesteryears, which will inevitably be transform into a Civilized society. In such a society, the teachers who, by out oflove, affectionately hold our hands to teach us how to write the ABC and also guide us throughout our academic pursuits will occupy the most respectable positions in the society.

To achieved such a society is not a utopia but will inevitably be a reality when the Sanhedrin Council members of our state realizes the importance of the "men of learning" by giving them utmost priority in all matters; when students cultivate the habit of sitting inside the class rooms to enrich their knowledge in lieu of sitting in cafeterias in secluded places where they learn future regrets; when profit motive private schools sponsored infamous mass copying system of examinations is replaced by a career oriented true examinations rather than valueless high percentage certificate oriented exams; and lastly, when merit and academic proficiency become the sole criteria in all appointments by giving up unholy practice of political and money powers in the larger interest of the society. This is my dream of future Manipur.

Concluded ...