Editor,
St. Edmunds College has led the way since 1923 but what is happening in the College today are the darkest of days St. Edmunds has ever seen. The students resumed classes after a long break on July 1, 2019 and in spite of resuming classes very late the students, especially the first semester students, were welcomed with agitations and silent demonstrations. The students had some classes on July 1, but classes were suspended after 11 am. We very well understand that when the college management takes wrong decisions then the teachers are affected and when teachers agitate the students are affected. However the students are deeply disturbed and taken aback by the baseless termination of Sir Jeffreyson Wahlang who has been a mentor to many students and also the disrespect meted out to the teachers as a whole by the Governing Body.
The student community does not think that their teachers should be treated in such an inhumane manner to the extent that their common staff room has been taken away from them and the teachers do not even have a separate canteen space where they can sit and eat. The teachers have put up their demands to the Governing Body of the College and some such demands are the dissolution of the governing body, reinstatement of Prof Jeffreyson Wahlang besides bringing uniform service rules for the teachers. Therefore the students as a whole would like this matter to be addressed by both sides with equal sense of responsibility for the general interests of the students of the college. We believe that the utmost responsibility of any College, i.e both management and staff ,is the well being of the students, as the students are the means and ends of any educational institution.
Yours etc.,
Saphishisha Kharsynteng,
& other students of St. Edmund’s College
Dishonouring the memory of Edmund Rice
Editor,
Five months ago, I was delighted to read an article in your paper dated December 9, 2018 captioned, “St. Edmund’s College felicitates 85 rank holders.” St. Edmund’s College, my Alma Mater, has almost always been in the spotlight for its positive contributions and achievements. However, in the light of the recent unfolding of (unfortunate) events in the College, it is rather disheartening to witness how the Management is outright stubborn towards the demands of the staff who work tirelessly (with the Management)in “imparting equitable education grounded on the core values of excellence, competition, and ideals”. Furthermore, as stated in the report dated May 22 2019, “Teachers hold Black Flag Protest in St. Edmund’s College”, the primary demand of the staff is “to ensure respect and dignity of the teachers”. The insensitivity of the management towards the genuine demands of the staff is sheer disregard for the goals and objectives of the Institution, perhaps even more so, the principles advocated by the Founder of the Institution, Edmund Rice.
Edmund Rice advocated for the poor; as an apprentice, he undertook legal proceedings to ensure that money went into the right hands. This leads to my next point which feels rather unjustified. Three years at St. Edmund’s, 2011-2014, a certain amount was charged as ‘Magazine Fee.’ One wonders as to whatever happened to the Magazines (read Money because although Magazine Collectors exist, I am certain none of them would want to collect a thousand copies of the same Magazine, or would they?)
Through his life, Edmund Ignatius Rice has inspired many around the world. He has undoubtedly ignited a fire in me too which has inspired me to share my thoughts on the current situation at my beloved St. Edmund’s College.
Facta non Verba!
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Drastic climate change
Editor,
It is indeed a phenomenon that Mumbai has been flooded due to unprecedented rains and the deluge has already paralyzed Mumbai. As many as 35 people are reported dead due to rains in Maharashtra state. But in the southern state of Kerala rains have evaded the region thereby ringing alarm bells as the dams and canals are dried up due to non-availability of adequate rains. It seems the whole rain clouds have converged on Maharashtra and the rains have been pounding Mumbai mercilessly.
Torrential rains have left several areas of the country’s commercial capital waterlogged, throwing rail, and air and road traffic out of gear on Tuesday. Meanwhile the meteorological department has forecast heavy rains and so further worsening of the situation is expected. Private weather agency Skymet has also warned that Mumbai is at ‘serious risk of flooding’ between July 3 and 5. It is feared that the situation in Maharashtra is akin to the weather that prevailed during last year in Kerala, in which hundreds of people died and the whole state was inundated.
Why has the monsoon played truant with Kerala this time and moved northwards to hit Maharashtra and to wreak maximum havoc on it? On a close observation, it can be concluded that our climate has become erratic and so it has become unreliable too. In the past, climate used to be very precise and farmers could make use of its precision for sowing seeds and other related tasks depending on the weather. Unfortunately, the climate has now changed leaving the farmers and others in the lurch. Meteorological department has to study this climate change seriously and find solutions to equip the farmers and others with the latest updates on how to adapt themselves to face the challenges inherent in the climate changes.
Yours etc.,
TK Nandanan,
Kochi -15