Matters of Public Importance & Concern!!

In continuation of my series of articles which were published in certain Nagaland English local papers during the first part of 2015, I once again constraint to release this article on public welfare/importance as thought-provoking approaches inspite of my limited wisdom and experiences. In 2015 publication of such articles on public matters, some of my article readers gave a feedback to me that why I was touching various matters/making all topics in/on the same article under the said/same heading, I used to justify myself that all pages of English local dailies are not mine, expecting the Editors/ Publishers to fill up the columns daily, that is why all important areas of public importance/ concern, confronting the Naga society at one go in one article without a lengthy elaboration of each point but just in brief for public consumption and create awareness to support the like-minded people in our State of Nagaland as seen in monthly articles on the same areas of public importance believing the policy of a maxim, “prevention is better than cure” so that our people may take little heed after reading even my simple article so that a little social changes may take place to some extend with the same view of mine. I once again request the local papers to publish this article so that my dear readers may extend my ideas for further explanation and positive response for my future correction on the same matters which would be much more profitable to the society unlike my raw ideas. At this time, before I go further in my write up, I want to make my identity very clear to my readers by introducing myself how I pursued my academic studies and service career, born and brought up from an illiterate/ non-Christian background as a challenge to the younger generations who have better parents and guardians to give better guidance and facilities for their academic pursuit of their higher education and spiritual growth. As for me I hardly graduated with my part time as Night Shift student of the erstwhile Kohima College as private College in the late 1970’s. To make it clearer to my readers, I should mention few names of some of my co-students or my classmates of the same college such as Mr. Neiphiu Rio, a former Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland and the present Hon’ble Member of Lok Sabha from Nagaland who graduated in 1978 with Simple pass, Mr. T.R. Zeliang, the previous Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland who also failed alongwith me in 1978 with back papers, but I cleared up my back papers in 1979 and I do not know whether Mr. Zeliang had cleared up the back papers in the same year along with me and it is non of my business at all to judge whether he passed graduation alongwith me in the same year inspite of his claim that he graduated in 1979 from the same college which he declared in one of the Nagaland State Red Cross Society Annual Meetings at Kohima Raj Bhavan in the presence of our Hon’ble Governor of Nagaland in 2014 where I also attended as one of the officials as one of the official representatives of School Education Department Nagaland alongwith him as one of the official representatives of School Education Department alongwith him as my classmate in 1978, he being Day Shift student of our Kohima College. As for me I joined in service as a graduate teacher in 1979, did my B.Ed. In 1982, joined in the erstwhile Govt. High School, Kohima and continued my service for 20 years in the same status, got the best Teachers Award (shield) from the student community of my school for two consecutive years in 1986, 1987 respectively; got Lion’s Club award for meritorious contribution to the student community in general; got Nagaland Teachers/ State Award in 1995 for my outstanding contribution to the society during the tenure of the then Commissioner & Secretaryship of the School Education Nagaland namely, Madam Banuo Z. Jamir, I.A.S on her recommendation which I never deserved to get such prestigious award which I didn’t move at all to get it. Elected to be the President of All Nagaland school Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) for the period 1989-2003; Advisor of the said Association for the next tenure (2003-05). Promoted to Asstt, Headmaster, posted to certain Govt. High Schools in Kohima District. Promoted to Headmaster and posted to a Premier Govt. High School in the district and served for 2 years then made attach to the District Education Office, Kohima to plan an academic activity for schools of the district which had become a State Education policy in the department (such planning papers are readily available for ready reference). Served as OSD (Officer on Special Duty in the academic matter for 1 year at the Directorate of School Education, Nagaland and took active part in the department’s re-structuring processes in 2011). Promoted to the Sub-Divisional Education Officers (SDEO) equivalent to Asstt. Director at the Directorate and posted to Chiephobozou as the first SDEO in 2011 for 2 years. Promoted to Deputy Director at the Directorate in 2012 and got Hon’ble Governor’s Commendation Certificate for my meritorious service to the department and the society which I didn’t deserved it at all. Elected to be the President of Nagaland School Education administrative Officers’ Association (NSEAOA) for a period of 2 years (2013-15). Promoted to Joint Director in June 2014 and even took charge of the District Education Office, Kohima for 6 months on the request of the Government and performed my dual assignments till I retired on the 30th Nov, 2014 and protected the welfare of the Department, Officers, Teachers and students from corruption, leniency in the system of office functioning of the functionaries be it at State level, district level, block level and village level schools of the State. I don’t have any regret during my last 35 years length of service although I was superseded by many of my juniors who could raise to the status of Director or even Principal Director of School Education Nagaland through shortcut approaches. My other contributions/ achievements to the department and the society in the form of my bio-data/ biography can be seen/ published which are readily available for further reference or verification. Some of my other classmates in the said college for whom I am proud of were (few)/are Late Mr. K.V. Pusa, former Hon’ble Minister and MLA of State Congress, a veteran leader Mr. Thenucho, former Hon’ble Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly; Mr. Neiba Ndang, former Hon’ble Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Late Mr. Ahu Sakhrie, an educationist and a veteran writer, Mr. Huzo Meru, a Church Leader and Social Worker, Mr. Timikha Koza, a prominent State Advocate and many others who could raise to high status in the Govt. Departments or social status. I am proud of them as my classmates especially those who joined in State politics and have played well for which I had/have been congratulating them but bowing down my head with shame when/if they could not play well in their respective fields. And for my love to them, I send information/ feelers to those especially those two former Hon’ble Chief Ministers whom I mentioned above to have a good set of Advisors (political/economic/moral character/ character comprising of matured/ experiences ones who are knowing the local context but not just name’s sake Advisors for the sake of accommodating the party workers). As for me I would suggest some members of Naga Overseas Association (NOA) like Rev. Luoliehu Imsong; Rev. Fr. Tather Abraham Lotha; Rev. Dr. Mazie Nakhro; Dr. Visier Sanyü etc. who have long/ vast experiences in other foreign countries who have real concern for the State and its people but not just who are playing domestic games within the State politics (narrow-minded politicians) or party- line workers. To make it short, the failure of our State politics or instability in early part of 2015 and 2017 might be due to lack of guidance from the so called Advisors who could not perform their duties well as Advisors to the State Chief Minister or Govt. (1) Any public issue/matter when/if resolved after enough public debate through the Press or public fora, would have less disadvantages or mistakes like 33% Women reservation in the Urban Legislative Bodies election but the decision of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly or the then cabinet in 2012 in favour of 33% Women was perhaps done so without much public opinion/debates which has now become a deadlock. Actually, ULB Elections are overdue (nearly 10 years) without elected members of the Town Councils or Municipals not just a mere Chief Executive Officers, cannot perform well their duties without the support of the elected members specially the elected Chairman of the Local Body) Nobody is against ULB Election but perhaps it has been postponing year after year for fear of being defeated in election by the opposition political parties in Urban areas since the educated people with full political awareness as their base, added with a public debate on 33% Women reservation without contest as an excuse for the delay. Contd...... Ruovihulie Angami (R. Angami) B.A, B. Ed Rtd. Jt. Director of School Education, Nagaland