Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 05 2009:
Taking serious note of the impacts, resulting from the ongoing 'suspend education' movement, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has appealed to all concerned to find out some other form of agitation other than closure of educational institutions.
A press release issued by the ATSUM said that the July 23 Khwairamband Bazar killing was condemnable by all means and the protest movement launched under the banner of the Apunba Lup justified.
College and university students might come out to the streets or boycott their classes on their own volition as they can take their own decisions but kids studying in nursery schools do not know anything about AFSPA, extra-judicial killings, resignation of the Chief Minister etc.
Forcing them to stay away from schools amount to infringement on the lives of the young children and denial of their right to education.
The student body also sympathised with the private school owners and teachers as well as van and bus owners, who are being deprived of their meagre income while the financially better off Government school teachers have been enjoying extended holiday.
Words of threats used by the Govt against private school owners for unwillingly closing their schools would not be appropriate at the critical juncture, it said.
The Boards (BSEM and COHSEM) and universities should also give the liberty for students to change their institutions if such need arises due to inability of educational institutions in the valley to complete their syllabus, it added.