Re-opening schools : Half baked ideaLeave the students alone
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 20, 2023 -

This is a commentary that should have come 24 hours earlier, but better late than never.

The decision of the State Government to re-open schools from June 21 is more like an extension of the goof up that the world saw on May 3, when it did not ban the Tribal Solidarity March staged in the hill districts.

Hard to say from where the Government came up with the bright idea of re-opening schools from June 21, but be sure this is nothing but a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Lest those living in the highly fortified, manned by security guards, complete with 24 hours internet connectivity and water supply have become deaf and blind to the reality, it is time to bring to their notice that the one line directive or advice given by parents and elders of each and every family to their young children now is ‘don’t venture out and be sure to be back home soon.’

Let it also be clear to everyone in the corridors of power, particularly those calling the shots and deciding whether young students should stay within the safe and secure environs of their home or go to their schools, that news on the curfew relaxation period is the first thing that every mother checks up on the moment they open the day’s newspaper.

And it is according to the relaxation window that the day’s programme is planned, such as when they can go to the market to buy the things needed for the family, when they can go to the bank or visit the ATM to withdraw money etc.

Recent instances more than say that the curfew relaxation period is today more like the popularly held line, ‘Britain does not have climate but weather’.

Much like the weather in Britain, there is no guarantee that the curfew relaxation period will stand good for the whole day and no one knows when the relaxation period will be suddenly slashed as has happened many times in the last couple of days.

In between no one knows when a locality or residents of a leikai will suddenly gather and impose a strict vigil, even going to the extent of checking each and every vehicle that comes along.

Will there be any parent who would want their children to be out when uncertainty rules the roost ?

The Government certainly seems to think that these are ‘normal inconveniences and uncertainties’ that parents and their young children can and should face, for what is at stake is the education of the young child, which means their future.

How about schools and students at Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Moreh ? Has the Government worked that out as well ?

Or will it be a case of the directive of the State Government having no bearing on these places, and this definitely brings to mind the ‘separate administration’ call given by the ten Kuki-Chin MLAs.

This is not the time for half baked ideas. The Government should know better.

Opening schools can at best be just a means to show to the outside world that Manipur is limping back to normalcy, or that efforts are on to restore normalcy, but is this the way forward ?

The Government would surely need to think out of the box to address this question.

This is not the time to experiment, and certainly not with half baked ideas.

Situation is such that the Government has still not deemed it proper or fit to lift the ban on internet and in the process ruling out the possibility of conducting online classes for students.

And it is in such a situation that it has gone ahead and announced the resumption of classes from June 21. Nothing can be more off the mark than this move.

Time for good sense to prevail and address things without misreading the ground reality.

Why was no opinion taken from the parents before the decision to open classes was arrived at ?

Or are the opinions and ideas of the parents and guardians of no consequence to the Government ?

The lack of idea and imagination demonstrated in its failure to bar or ban the Tribal Solidarity Rally on May 3 should stop there.

Makes no sense at all to re-open schools at this juncture.