Efforts must to reopen schools despite conflict situation
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: June 17, 2023 -

IT is heartening to learn that the state government is according importance to resumption of academic activities even if the parents are certain to comprehend that the prevailing situation is far from being conducive to let their children step out from the safety of homes.

With tension continuing to grip the state and bloody gunfights occurring occasionally in the peripheral villages, it is now clear that simply extending the summer vacation period, twice already, with the hope that the situation might improve will yield no positive result.

No doubt that the restive situation has affected all sections of the society with students being the hardest hit.

As of now no definite dateline has been given for reopening schools and colleges which is understandable as the government too is wary that the situation is not conducive for any normal activities.

However, education minister Basanta Kumar’s disclosure during the declaration of result of the HSLC Exam-2023 that the government is trying its level best to reopen the schools within the next few days gives a ray of hope that the children might return to their classroom and at-least help in diverting their attention from one of the worst communal violence ever in the state.

According to the minister, out of 4000 schools in the state, 100 are being utilised as relief camps and 25 occupied by security personnel while 3875 schools are not utilised in any way. Thus, as substantial numbers of the schools are still available efforts must be made to resume classes.

As stated by the minister, a nodal officer each has been appointed for every relief camp, under which a team of teachers are tasked to identify students at the relief camps and to facilitate their admissions at schools nearest to the camp.

Another commendable development amid the distressful situation is that the students staying in relief camps may study at private schools as private school managements have agreed to allow them study for free for one year, thereby implying that classes could resume anytime in safer locations and ensure that the academic career of the displaced students remain unaffected.

Even in sensitive areas resumption of educational activities might compel the adults to ponder over seriously before resorting to violence as targeting educational institutions is not sanctioned anywhere in the world even during wars between nations.

Though resumption of normal educational chores in the peripheral areas, which had been witnessing intermittent clashes between armed groups of the communities in conflict, seems risky at this juncture, the general population would be expecting the government to come up with special arrangement, including deployment of security forces in adequate strength, to aid the riot-hit students have access to proper education.

Moreover, taking into account of the fact that the entire state is not affected by the ethnic violence all possible efforts should be made to ensure that the students are not denied their universal rights to education.

Accepted that the warring communities are showing no signs of reconciliation but seemly determined to continue fighting till a logical conclusion, the need for moulding the future pillars of the society cannot be ignored.