Manipur: Over 98% displaced students staying in 347 relief camps re-admitted to nearby schools

Imphal, Oct 26 (IANS) Manipur Education Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh said on Thursday that of 15,915 displaced students staying in 347 relief camps in the ethnic violence-hit state, 15,641 have been allied and re-admitted to nearby schools.  

The Minister said that when the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, schools were shut for summer vacation and the closure of schools later extended owing to the deteriorating law and order situation. 

Classes from 1 to 8 reopened from July 5 while teaching in higher classes resumed from August 10, Singh told the media. 

He said that 98.28 per cent of these 15,915 students were given admission free of cost and all facilities provided to overcome bottlenecks in their education. 

According to the minister, of a total of 4,617 schools in Manipur, 26 schools are yet to be re-opened as they are either being utilised as relief camps or for accommodation of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) or situated in sensitive areas. 

Out of these 26 closed schools, 18 are from Churachandpur, three each from Imphal East and Jiribam districts and one each from Kangpokpi and Chandel districts. 

The Minister said that the Education Department has also developed alternative modes of teaching-learning methods to facilitate the displaced students living in relief camps. 

A proposal to enable these students to have access to all the educational facilities has also been submitted to the Union Education Ministry. 

Highlighting the activities undertaken by the government for the displaced students, Singh said that nodal officers and volunteers were appointed to ensure free admission of the displaced students and to distribute study materials, textbooks, stationery items and uniforms to them. 

The government has also set up a control room that works in coordination with the nodal officers to look after the shortage of books and uniforms for such students. 

He said the CM's College Students Rehabilitation Scheme 2023 has been launched to ensure free admission, one time rehabilitation grant and free smartphone to facilitate distant learning for the displaced college students. Meanwhile, a body called "Committee for guiding on the path of development in Education" has been formed to bring the students back to normalisation. 

He also mentioned that a proposal for supplementary financial support to the displaced students has been submitted to the Union Education Ministry. 

It may be mentioned that the proposal contains provisions for tablets, white board, textbooks, notebooks, stationery items, supplementary books, sports items, first aid kits and uniforms. 

Educational TV channel called "Lairk" started functioning on Jio TV to provide e-learning content free of cost. 

Radio drama based on academic curriculum called "Radio Class" is being aired by All India Radio, Imphal. 

A mobile app called "LAIRIK" has also been developed and that provides more than 1,300 video 'e-content', the minister said. 

--IANS 

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