Minister asks people to speak without fear

[caption id="attachment_276297" align="alignleft" width="300"] Temjen Imna Along speaks at the golden jubilee celebrations of Christ King Higher Secondary School, on October 10 in Kohima.[/caption] Our Correspondent Kohima, Oct 10(EMN): The minister for Minister of Higher and Technical Education Temjen Imna Along says the people need youngsters who are working to build a strong Nagaland for today and tomorrow. Along was speaking at the golden jubilee celebration of Christ King Higher Secondary School on October 10 at the school’s ground in Kohima. Rt. Rev James Thoppil, bishop of Kohima Diocese and Rev Fr. Nazarius Lakra, vice-provincial, Salesian province of Dimapur, were the guests of honour at the event. “In the transition time of the Naga people today, we need to be able to speak out the truth, be bold and fearless and not be afraid of the threats of guns and bullets and to die. To die humbly and proudly is most important,” Along said. He said the spirit of fear has overtaken the Nagas and the people fear telling the truth because hypocrisy has taken a toll in our lives. He urged the citizens and students to be humble before the God and yet be bold to speak the truth as influential and capable people of the society, and also asked the people to stop gossiping. He encouraged the students to think boldly and be self-reliant and responsible people who are not afraid to admit their mistakes and be someone who will work hard to change Nagaland in the future. “If you want to change and bring wealth only to yourself, the future of our people is doomed”, he said adding that we can be a strong society only if we work towards it selflessly and boldly, and not only dream about it. “We want young people who will score goals for the future of Nagaland, who are bold enough to take every negligence into one strike and build that to be the strength of the people”, he stated. He further stated, “We want young men and women of Nagaland, that are conscious of its environment, families and indigenous heritage that we have inherited from our forefathers”, adding that no amount of prosperity and development should take away the indigenous heritage, believes and our rights. If we are afraid and conscious only of ourselves and not the environment around us which is in chaos then your beauty will not be enough to cover the ugliness of the state, he said. Along also expressed his concerns saying “if you are not willing to work hard but find jobs without going for interviews and exams and just keep forming unions and unions then we will not have robust officials and bureaucracy”, adding we will expect the same for our children and the generation to come if we do so. He urged the citizens not to be bold for corruption or hypocrisy but encouraged everyone to make sure to mould their children prayerfully for a strong future. He also expressed his gratitude to all the fathers and sisters who have come from far places and looking into the need of the Nagas. “Kudos to all of you and as a government and a citizen of the state, I thank heart fully to all the fathers and sisters who has sacrificed and worked numerously to make our state so eligible for everything for the future”, he exclaimed. He also acknowledged the teachers by saying that they are the people who make all the difference in the lives of people. He pray that one day our state achievements of taking the teachers post to the last category of any profession will change for young men and women who are studying and “merit students will one day choose to take the post of a teacher much more than any other post because it is the job of a teacher which is truly satisfying”. The imprint of parents is always there but the greater imprints are imprints of the teachers in the life of the students, he added. He further encouraged the teachers by saying that teaching is a tremendously wonderful job and appeal to them to lean their hearts toward the students who are in their hands, and to mould and shape them to be capable people of Naga society who shall be fearless to speak the truth , work hard and also be fearless towards nepotism, hypocrisy and lies. Rev. Thoppil said that education must help the people to grow as men and women of character, competence, compassion and commitment. They will then contribute to the evolution of a counter-culture to the current ruthlessly competitive models, by promoting collaboration and cooperation for the growth of all, he said. More than being an academic education, it was the integral and holistic education that attracted both parents and students to the school, he explained. ‘We want all the citizens to become literate, skilled and competent, socially conscious and spiritually motivated and fully involved in the building up of a developed and just society,’ he said. Christ King Higher secondary School was started by Fr. Resto in 1969 and was looked after by the Bethany Sisters. Later the administration was taken over by Fr Ittyachen, Fr Lakra said. ‘Many of you have seen a tiny plant of Christ King School, which has grown into a mighty tree of an educational institution,’ he added.