SM College commemorates 25 years of education

[caption id="attachment_252292" align="alignright" width="300"] A church leader, Rev. Dr. Imchayanger, addresses the 25th anniversary celebration of SM College, on Saturday in Dimapur.[/caption] Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, June 1: Dimapur college Sakus Mission College celebrated its silver jubilee on Sat. June 1 in the college's auditorium in Dimapur. The college was started 25 years ago in Dimapur with the stated aim to impartcomprehensive, quality education and to 'develop the unexplored potential in every student beyond the academic arena.' The college was established in 1994. With "learn for excellence" as the institution's motto, the college was formed and founded by retired engineer T Saku Aier. A speaker for the event, Rev. Dr. Imchayanger, remarked that the 25 years celebration was the 60th year of the inception of higher education in Nagaland. He called it encouraging for the state that it has many colleges today. Jubilee, he said, is a time to look back and giving thanks to the Almighty God for his goodness. It is also a time to look forward with 'clearer vision for greater achievements.' In line with the college's motto, the Reverend opined that 'today most of us aim for academic excellence to qualify for desired placements.' Academic excellence, he said, may not serve for professional excellence as all studies are not professional studies. "In striving for excellence we have been so concerned for our individual wellbeing in midst of competition and comparison forgetting the demands of the people," he said. "To attain academic achievement higher than others and to get good job with a good salary is the aim of education for most of the students today." This, he said, was purely individualistic and that individualism gives rise to corruption compelling one to be self-centred. Further, the church leader explained that any pursuit of excellence in a corrupt society may not be fruitful. But education should aim at changing the world from 'bad' to 'good' and 'good to better,' he said. Recounting the history of education, Imchayanger remarked, "We see that the aim of education was for the individual development-to meet the needs and demands of the state. In order to fulfil its aim, content, method and system of education should be socialistic and nationalistic, based on moral ideals." Our education, he observed, is lacking all that; it is just for receiving information. The church leader wondered if there was 'any patriotic and nationalistic elements in our education' system and 'whether our educated youths are conformed to the established social norms and requirements.' If not, he strongly remarked, 'We are no better than the primitives and still lagging behind people of the dark ages.' Again, the speaker observed that 'we have many educated youths, having knowledge, but without any understanding.' “Many are drowned in the incomprehensible technological advancement, leading to degradation and are just seeking for self survival, ignoring needs and demands of society,” he said. “Everyone cannot be the best, but everyone can be their own best. Only the best should not get placements, but everyone, in its own best should get placements,” he exhorted the students community. In her address, the principal of SM College, Dr. Arenla Aier mentioned that although it was never a written agenda of the college, the institution was set up with the mission to provide quality education and to make each student a 'missionary in every field they pursue.' The college has been faring well in the universities by way of producing toppers, she said and credited it all to God. “We provide education to all students who seek,” she said.