Unlike our good old College days, now the Student Council elections in the Colleges and University are fought in dirty political style, with patronage in money and muscle Power by political parties. This is a step in the wrong direction and portends grave consequences. We have even witnessed candidates being kidnapped. Is this the way to prepare our future politicians? Is this conducive to harmony that must prevail in and around the educational campus?
And, in the midst of all this, when a teacher remains “neutral” and is not expressing a view, due to his own personal political affiliation, he/she is failing in enabling an authentic debate on socio–economic issues crucial for developing our students’ vision. They must leave the educational campus with all the tools they need to actively engage themselves on the political turf in the future.
With political parties having infiltrated the Temples of learning, no wonder today, we do not see the rock solid student unity that Goa witnessed in the late 70’s and 80’s when the Student Power based on fact and conviction, was a very vibrant force for good to be reckoned with.
It may now be too late to reverse the clock and sanitise the educational institutions from the political broth. Nonetheless an effort in this direction must persist in the best interest of the student community so that they are moulded in schools and colleges in the right perspective.
