Although
many laments the poor education system that we have, many amongst our midst
have been trying their best at the local level to improve the education
standard of students. While acknowledging the laudable work of NGOs, CSOs,
Chiefs, activists and individuals in the field of education at their levels, it
has however been found that these helps rendered goes in most cases, only till
the completion of High School. While many students from far flung rural
villages have availed better education owing to the intervention of an
‘awakened society’, they often find it hard to continue higher education with
financial constrains being the reason in most cases. To such students and their
poverty-ridden families, financial constrains more often than not comes as
a major hurdle which they could not possibly tackle on their own. It is in this
light that an initiative of rendering financial help should be advocated in
planning and policy-making at all levels.
To
support the above statement, here is a highlight of a typical Caselet to
ponder upon:-
Mr.X is a
young brilliant boy hailing from a rural village. Though his family is not
economically well-off, his parents had no problem funding his education till
High School as he was able to attend classes regularly at the village high.
However, after high school, his family started having serious problems funding
his education which have since started incurring liquid amounts huge enough for
the poor parents to worry about. It may be mentioned here that this young boy
had cleared both the HSLCE and HSSLCE in first division and thereafter cleared
an entrance test for a Bachelor's of Technology course which got him inducted
into a government-run Engineering institute in Imphal. Staying together with
two of his friends in a house provided by a relative in the outskirt of the
town, Mr X often found it hard to pursue his educational endeavour in
peace as he had to constantly worry about monetary requirements for his
education. His parents, like others of the rural areas, have not had a habit of
savings or thrift and with little livelihoods activities to explore and
exploit, they therefore had to struggle more than ever on a day to day
basis so that they may be able to support their child until his
graduation. All the efforts put in by the parents as well as Mr. X paid
off as he cleared his first year examinations successfully.
However,
things deteriorated and Mr. X abruptly gave up his Engineering course in the
middle of his second year calendar. This way, the lone product of the village
high school to have taken up engineering course gave up. If Blame Game is to be
put into effect, many would blame him, many would blame his parents or
relatives and the game will go on. If at all, his parents had better means of
livelihood that generates enough income; If at all, the poor boy had choices,
such as seeking financial help through programmes designed for such a case, If
at all, the boy had graduated as an Engineer!
End note:
Until and
unless the poor families of the rural area have more livelihoods activities to
explore and exploit, until a habit of savings and thrift is developed and until
families plan a layout of safety nets for their children’s future engagement
with academics, this typical case is here to stay pending. In fact, cases as
such have been with us for too long, way too long since first recorded by
witnesses amongst our midst in the society. This heightens the need for an
urgent remedial intervention. It is often said, “ To strike at a problem, one
should identify and strike at the root cause of it all”. In this light, it is
felt that intervention towards enhancing the economic wellbeing of the poor and
on the other hand positioning of opportunities and wider range of options at
the reach of the poor are of most immediate concern as of now, the first step
towards bringing about a long-term remedial solution to the problems that we
have in our society’s midst.
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