Imphal, April 19: Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has expressed deep concern at the dwindling number of students pursuing education in Manipur.

Speaking as guest of honour at the educational conference organised by the Federation of Elementary to College Teachers' Association at GM Hall here today, Jarnail Singh observed that something is seriously wrong with the existing education system.

These flaws in the education system have been largely responsible for a large of Manipuri students going to other States for their studies, he noted.

In 1995, 47,000 students appeared in the class X BSEM exam but the number was drastically reduced this year when only 24,000 students appeared in the Board exam.

The number of students appearing in class XII COHSEM exam in 2000 was 23,000 which dwindled to just 14,000 this year.

These statistics only testified that there has been continuous exodus of Manipuri students to other States of India, inferred the Chief Secretary.

Interestingly, the annual expenditure of the Government of Manipur on education has been increasing year after year while the number of students enrolled in Government institutions has been rapidly declining.

It's high to find out the root causes responsible for the alarming trend.

It is the responsibility of the Government and the public to address the problem effectively, he asserted.

The education conference on "Emerging Challenges before Government and Government Funded Educational Institutions��Our Response to some of the Key Issues in the Context of Globalization" was attended by Education Minister L Jayantakumar and president of the Federation of Elementary to College Teachers' Association (FECTA) P Laingam as chief guest and functional president respectively.

Giving key-note address at the inaugural function of the conference, FECTA vice-president L Landhoni observed that at the time when English has become a compulsory language for every one, most parents prefer private schools to Government schools as students in private schools are taught in English medium helping them to learn the language better and quickly than students studying in Government schools.

The conference which deliberated on myriad problems being encountered in the field of education was also attended MP Dr T Meinya.

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