End does not justify means

There were several disturbing news reports concerning the teaching profession during the past week. One was the sexual assault on his pupils by a man holding the post of a Principal of a school. Then there was the much publicized incident at a College of Education where around three dozen teacher trainees were found stealing examination papers prior to the date of the examination.

Teaching is a noble profession. Teachers are revered by society for their service in the upbringing of the young generation. It is only second to that of parents. The oriental culture has already accorded a place of honour and dignity to the teaching profession.

What the perpetrators of the mean acts described above have done is to sully their own profession and lower the respect it commands among the public. How could one expect teachers who steal examination papers to give an example for their pupils? How could society entrust children to sex offenders?

The Education Ministry should take stern disciplinary action against such offenders without showing any mercy. It is not known how far the example shown by the society in treating such offences lightly has contributed to this state of affairs. Or did the young teacher trainees consider fraud as a matter of fact? Did they think that the end justify the means? Well, it is not always so. The end, in this case, does not justify the means.

Perhaps they were born to the generation whose parents practised fraud from their birth? by giving false places of residence, false addresses, forged certificates and false information to ensure for them a 'popular' school bypassing departmental regulations.

Or is this only a symptom of general breakdown in discipline in society? It is for the sociologists to answer. In the meantime, the Education Ministry should punish the culprits after departmental inquiries according to its regulations.

If the regulations are not adequate new and far harsher one should be formulated and duly approved.

Good news across the border

India and Pakistan have started talks again. As the Indian Prime Minister has underlined there is no alternative to talks, dialogue.

Both India and Pakistan are our friendly neighbours. They are the giants of South Asia. Indo-Pakistan differences and confrontations affect the entire South Asia. Nay, its influence spreads much wider. As both are nuclear powers the tension between them affects the security of the entire Asia-Pacific region. In turn, it affects world peace an stability.

Actually, both countries inherited issues of contention due to the actions of their colonial master - Britain. During the period of the Cold War the struggle between two Super-Powers, the United States and the Soviet Union did affect these relations and in a way impeded the resolution of their differences. Though the end of the Cold War gave an opportunity for both neighbours to resolve their contentious issues it never materialized.

Now the situation in the Indian Sub-continent and in South Asia as a whole is more complicated with the spread of global terrorism and the war in Afghanistan. The intensification of the Afghan war has increased the infiltration of armed groups into Pakistan. Their presence has not only destabilized Pakistan polity but has also given rise to cross-border attacks on Indian territory by some armed groups that operate within Pakistan territory.

Cooperation in the war on terror has become a necessity for both countries. Actually it is the desire of the vast majority of the people of both countries. However, internal political alignments in both countries have complicated the situation.

It is good that leaders of both India and Pakistan have shown much statesmanship by agreeing to talk all issues of contention with a view to solving them. Though a quick solution cannot be expected, the process of dialogue if continues uninterrupted could pave the way for many confidence building measures such as more and more people to people exchanges and economic cooperation .

Cordial relations between the two Asian giants and the resolution of outstanding problems between them would really give an impetus to Asia becoming the main economic, political and cultural giant that it could be.