In order to prevent further learning loss and ensure a smooth academic career for the students, though, the state Government of Manipur decided to reopen schools in the state, there seems no feasibility in the hill district of Kangpokpi as most of the schools are turned into relief camps.
However, some private schools in the district reportedly resumed classes which had a mixed response from various sections of the people.
While vehemently opposing the reopening of schools, KSO Sadar Hills Education Secretary, Abrham Haokip said that out of the officials 60 plus relief centres in the district most of them are Government schools and it is not really feasible to reopen the schools.
He said that most of the schools in the district are turned into relief camps and thousands of Internally Displaced Persons including more than 4000 displaced students are sheltered in those relief camps.
Schools turning into relief centres seems not the only factors for the non-feasibility in reopening the schools in Kangpokpi, as there are many more factors put up by the schools authority as well as the student body in the district.
Abraham Haokip further said that when lawlessness still prevails in the state even after 62 days, the decision to reopen schools is just another drama of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and his Government, to impose forceful normalcy so that they can answer or shown to the Supreme Court that peace and normalcy has been restored.
He also pointed out that despite setting up buffer zones the tribal villages are under attack almost every day, even this morning armed miscreants suspected to be the Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun attacked Kuki volunteers protecting the peripheral areas of Kangpokpi in the hill range of Phaileng village which continue the whole day.
He continued that Meitei's schools can be open for education as the Tribals do not attack the Meetei villages, but our tribal villages are being under attack almost every day and thus, the question arises how will we open school?
"Schools will be re-open once the attacking from the Meetei stops and we urge the Government to book the leaders of the Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun", he urged.
He also said that the Tribal cannot trust the CM of Manipur anymore and the government of Manipur as a whole, as their claim of peace in the state is just a drama to please the central and to misled the general public of other states.
Therefore, it is not really in any way feasible to reopen schools at this juncture, he said and instructed all the schools in the Sadar Hills area not resume classes until the Meitei stopped attacking and the student community are out of fear and come to terms with a peace of mind.
He also urged Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and his Government to not just give orders without knowing the ground reality the Tribal are Facing.
Meanwhile, Seikholen Singsit, Headmaster of Keithelmanbi Government High School, pointed out that though we welcome and appreciate the policy and initiative of the Government to reopen the schools it is not really feasible as in my school alone there are more than 500 Internally Displaced Persons and even my office is used as a store room.
He also said that the parents also do not consider it as a right time to reopen the schools as they are not in terms with the prevailing situation.
He said that the ratio of the students and the teachers will also be not appropriate as the students ratio jumps up with the enrollment of displaced students while adding that more than 200 displaced students have been enrolled in Keithelmanbi Govt. High Schools alone with only a mere ten teachers feasible to attend the school.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
