My Lost War Against Corruption

The initial years of service may be the days of fun for some people and of struggle for few others, but certainly un- forgetful to most. My days as a teacher in a private school in Nagaland were entirely different. Those were the days of turmoil.

After completing my post graduation in 1990, I got appointed as an Asst. Teacher in a reputed private school. Even though I was underpaid, I was happy with my work because of the abundant love I got from the children. I always believe that it was that love which brought me to my present position in life.

As a teacher, I had many shortcomings in the beginning. I had not completed B.Ed. degree at the time of joining service and had the usual drawbacks of sudden transition from student life to teacher life. I had occasional misunderstandings with few students and in fact, it was my ignorance about the problems of adolescence that created the problems and not the students. But, I really wonder how the young children showered me with so much love in spite of my shortcomings.

On the other hand, my relation with a section of the teaching staff was always strained. I had witnessed for the first time in my life how teachers involve in dirty tricks for earning money. It would practically be impossible for a student to secure average / good marks if he/she is not taking private tuition from the concerned subject teacher. Some teachers even used to humiliate students who were taking tuitions from other teachers till they surrender at their feet. I was really shocked and shattered because I had never experienced such things in my student life.

It is true that a teacher even with a small family could never survive with the paltry salary paid by the school. But I was unable to accept the means deployed by the teachers. Out of my love for the students and honesty, I had raised the issue with the highest authority of the management several times but the result was that I was branded as nuisance. Fortunately, I got a better job in 1994 and left the school before creating any trouble for my own life.

Time and experience changed me in to a man of silent observer of corruption and my highest pride till today is that I have never employed those dirty tricks with my students. Some of my former students of 1990s are now Industrialists and many are working as executives in different walks of life. I still enjoy the true love and respect of few of them without any guilt in my mind. I lost my war against corruption but the true love and respect of my students-past and present-is worth more than a thousand victories.