Quality education remains a mirage in Phungyar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 12 2015 : Quality or meaningful education still remains a mirage, something inaccessible in many interior areas of Ukhrul district such as Nongman, Sorde, Kumram and Patbung.

Shortage of teaching staff and teachers' absenteeism are the two biggest and most common problems afflicting school education in these areas as observed by a joint team of ICHAM volunteers and reporters.

Though Nongman Primary School was upgraded to the level of Junior High School having classes up to VI in 2014, the school is suffering from acute shortage of teaching staff.

Moreover, some teachers posted anew at the school have not yet joined the school thereby rendering its upgradation a futile and meaningless exercise.

In the absence of its own building, Patbung Primary School is run at the newly constructed PHSC building which is yet to be inaugurated.

Broken down corridor of a school at Phungyar, Ukhrul district

The situation is nothing better at Sorde High School.

Even as seven class rooms were constructed anew under DRDA, all the floors broke apart soon after and students are now attending classes amidst loose stones and sand.

Whereas the prescribed strength of teaching staff for Sorde High School is 32, only 10 teachers have been doing all the works.

The practice of substitute teachers is also very prevalent at Sorde High School too, said some villagers.

Since the day they joined the school, two teachers who were transferred to Sorde H/S have not been seen at the village.

Even if complaints are lodged to relevant authority about the prolonged absenteeism, they simply side-step the complaint saying that the teachers are the 'Chief Minister's men', they decried.

In view of the acute shortage of teachers, villagers contribute money and hire two private teachers namely Roshan and Mina.

There is acute shortage of Mathematics and Science teachers in most of the schools located in the hill districts but most teachers loathe to stay and teach at these schools because of the remoteness.

The villagers then urged the Government to send only diligent and sincere teachers to remote areas and take up befitting action against derelict teachers.

Saying that no construction activities have been initiated till date even though orders were issued for construction of library and laboratory in 2013, the villagers questioned where and how the amount of Rs 16 lakh has been utilized.

The Government should ensure that there is equitable development in the hills and valley instead of trumpeting its purported achievements, said the Sorde villagers.

ICHAM president N Rajendro while taking due note of the Education Minister's claim of achieving substantial progress towards making Manipur self-reliant in education, pointed out the sorry state of school education in interior areas of the State.

He demanded that befitting actions should be initiated against Government teachers who are employing their own substitutes.

As an Education Minister, he should take up strong actions against the practice of employing substitutes by Government teachers, particularly those posted in hill districts.

He said that ICHAM would extend all possible assistance towards development of Sorde High School.

Any policy to put the education system of Manipur on a higher trajectory should be comprehensive enough to encompass all the interior and remote areas of the State, he added.