AMCTA against increasing college hours
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 10 2022:
The All Manipur College Teachers' Association (AMCTA) has categorically stated that increasing the working hours of colleges might be detrimental to students' health as there is a great possibility of them skipping meals to reach institutions on time.
A press release issued by AMCTA said that the Directorate of University & Higher Education issued a notice on April 5 to increase the working hours of colleges with 8 am as the starting hour but the same was never considered by the State Cabinet.
Claiming that the State Cabinet never altered the working hours of educational institutions and the same directive was not given to Higher Education Department, AMCTA continued that the notice issued by General Administrative Department about 5-day working week mentions only Government's offices, agencies and PSUs and directs to increase the working hours of Government, aided and private schools.
Further claiming that the same order was never given to the Higher Education Department, AMCTA reasoned that classes at colleges and universities commence at 9 am and continue till 4 pm for the convenience of the students from far flung places.
The State Cabinet didn't alter the working hours of college and university as there is a big difference in office hours of colleges and schools, it said.
Starting college and university from 8 am would not only distress the students from distant places but also harm their health as they will not have time for a proper lunch, AMCTA said and added that most of the students attending college and university are from the economically weaker section and can't afford expensive meals daily.
The Government colleges and universities in Manipur also don't have any canteens which provide meals at a discounted rate to the students, it continued.
Maintaining that AMCTA welcomes the move of the State Cabinet to reduce traffic volume but the same can prove otherwise if the timing of schools and higher education is exactly the same, the association continued that the department should not have issued the notification which contradicts the resolution of the State Cabinet.
There is also a need to establish a reading facility for faculty members and a residential quarter for teachers coming from a far place before implementing the same order, AMCTA continued and stated that the directorate concerned must first focus on keeping adequate infrastructure at different colleges where there are shortage of the same.
Most of the colleges in Manipur don't even have a Lab Assistant and Attendant, AMCTA said and urged the Directorate of University & Higher Education to review its order.