Seminar elucidates child rights issues

IMPHAL, August 31: A one day State Level Seminar on Child Rights Issue was held today at Hotel Nirmala, MG Avenue, Imphal organized by Centre for Social Development (CSD), Palace Compound, Imphal.

Sr. Project Manager, CSD Kh Rebati Raman in his keynote address said the rapid rise in the failure of implementation of government schemes and the issue of child rights have necessitate the seminar.

The seminar was held in two sessions.

The first session was moderated by social activist Dr Dhanabir Laishram while Dean, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, MU Prof. W Nabakumar presented paper on Present Education System and Its Reflection in the Promotion of Child Rights and Editor, The Imphal Free Press, Arun Irengbam presented on Role of Media to Ensure the Child Rights in Manipur respectively.

W Nabakumar said that the present education system including lower and higher education syllabus does not reflect any kind of laws convention in promotion and development of child right.

He said that India in theory has all the possible ways and means to support child rights but there remains a big question on how far that is true practically.

Prof. W Nabakumar lamented that the schemes like mid-day meal, inclusion of cooks and kitchens to the schools are hardly implemented in 20 schools out of 100.

He also lamented that the mid-day meal for the children are almost benefited by the officials instead.

He said that the government tries to copy models from foreign education system which bring nothing but chaos among the students in getting admission in their further studies and still fails to bring promotional and creative educational system.

He said that in India a student’s life has become an experimental subject and added that the quantity has been made more important than the quality in the present Indian education system.

The subject of Moral Science has become a mark scoring paper, he added.

Editor Imphal Free Press Arun Irengbam said that a child’s first learning place is at home and they are nurtured from home.

He added that a child cannot nurture in a domestic violence filled home and such violence instills a negative impact on the child.

He said, “Manipur is known for “Phunga Wari” where children learn from their grandparents through their stories sitting besides the fire”, and added that today the so called “Phunga” has almost vanished and hence a big learning space has faded away for the children in Manipur.

Arun Irengbam said that today’s education system in India is like making child a machine in their efforts to get maximum marks in their exams.

He expressed that the time has come to educate the children to dignify the existence of the state as the state is yet to exist in the minds and imagination of India.

He added that the recent exodus which caused displacement to many students of Manipur and the NE region shows the inhumane behavior of the mainland India towards the North Eastern states of India.

He lamented that the mainland India has failed to recognize the Mongoloid NE people.

The IFP Editor said that with the kind of exposure that the children of the state are getting today, they are aiming for power like the commandos and the UG groups. This is a serious issue, he said.

He also lamented that students today missed out from playing at the playgrounds after their school instead they are made to take tuitions.

He added that they are in the state of “All Work No Play” situation. He further added that during their adolescence period, they are blocked from growing naturally.

He said that the attraction towards opposite sex is natural but in Manipur, courtship has prohibited by certain groups which limit the children’s informal learning about their own life.

He said that it is obvious that a child’s mind is affected by the views of armed personnel who they see everywhere in the state.

He said that the media has a large role in the support of Child Rights and added the local media need to investigate about what Anganwadis are doing, where the mid-day meals are going, and if the scheme is really benefitting the targeted children? He added that to have a playground is mandatory for a school and media person can investigate for the same and how children are facilitated with medical care, in short media house need to expose those who are exploiting child rights.