EMN DIMAPUR, AUGUST 27
The Eastern Naga Students Federation (ENSF) has started an initiative to “bring education revolution” in the eastern regions of Nagaland. The ENSF organized a “send off prayer program cum orientation” in Phom Baptist Church of Dimapur today where the initiative was introduced. The event was aimed to “impart good education opportunities” to students from Nagaland’s eastern region, the ENSF said in a message received here today. The initiative was introduced during the event. Seeing that “education being the need of the hour,” the federation explained, a “special department” called the “ENSF Education Initiative” (EEI) has been founded. The group said that the aim is to “bring education revolution in the society as a constructive and responsible pressure group.” The main objective of the ‘EEI’ is to “act as the voice and the light for those poor and meritorious students, the ENSF said. Keeping in view their objective, the ENSF in collaboration with the All Assam Students Association Hyderabad (AASA) and Neo Royal Education Society (NRES) of Hyderabad implemented the scheme mainly “for the poor meritorious backward students under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Sending a green signal to the parents and the communities of eastern Naga regions, the implementation of this scheme covers fee reimbursement i.e. the semester fees are being reimbursed through scholarships for the poor meritorious backward students.” Eastern Naga Gazetted Officers’ Association (ENGOA) president Changkai Koyak DIG encouraged the students to bear good fruit with the initiative taken by the federation. Speaking on the occasion, AASA vice president Kausar urged the students to think only of the word ‘can’ and said “if you think you can’s than you can never do it.” Exhorting the students from the Bible, Sangtam Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Apesi encouraged the students to ‘finish the finishing line’ and to think beyond. Other officials also spoke during the event. “There is a great power in education and education is the greatest tool for self reliance” said Commissioner of Excise Moangwati Aier. He expressed happiness to see the “bold initiative” taken by the federation and accredited to be first of its kind among the students’ groups. Through this system, he said the number of drop-outs and unemployment would “be reduced and this initiative will give a thrust to the entire Nagaland.” He also acknowledged that the tradition of working collectively among the Nagas started though the Morung system and this initiation keeps the tradition alive. Stressing on the love of freedom among the Naga society, he said “to be free we need to sweat as behind every success story and goal there is sweat.” Lamenting on the situation of the Naga society where “we talk about freedom but work less,” the commissioner urged the students not to waste the initiative taken by the ENSF but “respect and work hard till the goal is achieved.” He quoted US president Barack Obama that “people will judge you by what you work and not by what you destroy.” Aier encouraged the students to build the society and nation “as education is in our hands” and with the Right to Education (RTE) implemented by the government of India, “we should move forward.”