Student bodies question rational of closing schools

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 27 : Saying that suspending normal classes to avert law and order crisis is undesirable, the Coordinating Committee on Disturbance Free Educational Zone Demand (CCDFEZD) has urged the Government to take up necessary and immediate initiatives to reopen schools and colleges .
AIMS, MSF, SUK, KSA, DESAM and another student organisation also urged the Government to withdraw the indefinite suspension of schools and colleges as students have already suffered enough amid the crisis.
Notably, the State Government had issued an order yesterday which stated that all schools (Government/Government-aided, private and Central) as well as all Government educational institutions/Government-aided colleges under Higher and Technical Education Department, Government located in the districts where curfew has been imposed will remain closed from November 27 until further order.
Addressing a press briefing at DESAM office at Kwakeithel today, CCDFE-ZD convenor cum DESAM president M Somorjit said that they have been urging the  Government to formulate a policy to let all schools and college conduct classes for at least 220 days in a year since 2008.
Saying that normal classes are being disrupted occasionally in Manipur due to several factors and the same is a major setback to the student community, he added that the Committee condemns the periodic extension of closure of all educational institutions since November 17 in the strongest terms.
Claiming that all stakeholders concerned agreed not to disrupt the functioning of schools and colleges while staging any form of protests against the horrific incidents in Jiribam as Class X, Class XII and college examinations are drawing closer, Somorjit maintained that the Government suspending normal classes at the time of examinations is unacceptable.
It would be a big loss for Manipur if the Government habitually closes schools and colleges for every problem, he added.
A press briefing on similar issue was also held at AIMS office by six organisations viz AIMS, MSF, SUK, KSA, DESAM and another student organisation at Kwakeithel during which  coordinator of the group Oinam Nikarson said that the ongoing crisis has already taken a heavy toll on the student community and suspending classes only aggravate their suffering.
Saying that prolonged closure of schools and colleges is nothing but violation of the democratic rights of the students, he added that the Government extending the closure of schools and colleges for an indefinite period is unacceptable.
The Federal Students' Organisation, Kangleipak (FESOK), meanwhile, said that the Government suspending internet services and shutting down educational institutions frequently greatly disrupts the academic atmosphere.
Closing schools and colleges may not be a problem to those who can afford to send their children outside Manipur for studies, it said and added that the future of Manipur would be catastrophic if the students aren't allowed to study. The Government can close schools and colleges no matter how long if they think it would resolve the crisis in Manipur but work out a solution to the crisis so that students can study peacefully, it added.