Manipur: Schools to Resume Classes from July 1

IMPHAL: Schools in violence-hit Manipur will resume holding normal classes from July 1 instead of June 21 as had been announced earlier, officials said here on Tuesday.

L. Nandakumar Singh, the Director of Education (School), issued a notification on Tuesday that says the normal classes will resume in all schools in Manipur July 1 and they stand deferred till then or until further orders are issued.

All zonal education officials under the Department of Education are hereby directed to inform all concerned and take up necessary actions accordingly, the notification read.

Earlier, it had been announced by the department that normal classes are set to resume on June 21 but the prevailing situation is believed to have influenced the decision to stay the resumption of classes.

The classes for the remaining standards and up to the college level are likely to be resumed in a phased manner after July 1, when the law and order situation will again be considered.

There are 4,617 schools in Manipur and out of these, around 100 schools were used to set up relief camps for the displaced persons and provide accommodation for the central forces that are deployed in the state.

Alternative arrangements for the inmates of the relief camps and the security forces are being sought by the state government so that students of these schools are not affected, said an official of the Education Department.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had also disclosed plans earlier to change the curfew timings, in order to allow normal activities to be resumed gradually, and reopening of the schools at the earliest.

In the meantime, it has been seen that thousands of students have been displaced and they are taking shelter in the relief camps, so the Thoubal district education department has come up with the idea to provide education to the displaced students within the district staying in the relief shelters.

It has been calculated by officials that around 6,000 students studying in various standards have been displaced due to the ethnic violence that started in the state from May 3.

Education Minister Bashanta Singh had earlier stated that his department is taking the required measures for the welfare of the students thus affected.

He had said that study materials like notebooks, pens, pencils, sports materials, as well as uniforms will be provided to the displaced students. He also added that deputation of volunteer teachers will be done for the students staying in the relief camps for organising coaching classes.

Singh had said that displaced students studying in Class 9-12 will be allowed to take transfer to schools of their choice provided that seats are available there. If not, they will be allowed to study in nearby schools, he said.

He added that those living in far-flung areas will be provided with gadgets like tablets for distance learning.

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