Govt schools yet to set academic calendar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 02 2011: Though most private schools in Manipur have already commenced their academic session, Government schools under the State Education Department have not been able to follow its own academic calendar and announce a definite date for commencement of the academic session.

As for the problem of non-availability of text books in the market, it is said that the required text books would be made available in the open market from April 4 or 5 .

Earlier in 2007, the academic calendar announced by the Directorate of Education (School), Government of Manipur had fixed February I as the date for commencement of session for class 1 to X in all Government schools, Government Aided schools and private schools under the Directorate.

However, from 2009-2010 session, the date for commencement of session had been revised and fixed as April 1 every year.

Still then, most schools used to follow the earlier pattern of commencing the session on February 1 .

But this time, the Directorate has not been able to come out with an announcement on when the academic session would commence even though the month of April is already two days old.

An empty classroom of a Government-run school

Meanwhile, without waiting for the announcement of the Directorate, most private schools have already commenced their respective classes as early as March 3 .

Now the big question is how the Government schools are supposed to cover the syllabus in time when it could not keep even its own academic calendar? .

It is common knowledge to all that in addition to number of days designated in an academic calendar for various co-curriculum activities like competitive scholarship examination, summer vacation classes, first monthly test, district level science seminar, State level science seminar, school meet, school sports, second monthly test, first term test, science exhibition, State level text book base quiz competition and literary meet, harvesting holiday, State level talent search examination/National means and merit scholarship examination, third monthly text, winter vacation, annual promotion examination, education, etc, bandhs and any other agitation frequently witnessed in Manipur left not many days for conduct of normal classes in schools.

In such a situation, it is obvious that students of private schools which have already commenced their session would have an advantage over their compeers in Government schools.

According to an official source, there are in all 3310 schools under the State Education Department (S).

Of this, the total number of Government schools inclusive of those under ZEO Zone-I, ZEO Wangoi, Imphal West, ZEO Zone-II, Jiribam, Imphal East, ZEO Thoubal, ZEO Kakching, Thoubal district, Bishnupur district, Chandel district, Churachandpur district, ZEO Kangpokpi, ZEO Senapati, Senapati district, Tamenglong district and Ukhrul district are 35 Higher Secondary Schools, 189 High Schools, 297 Junior High Schools and 1126 Primary schools.

Under Aided category, there are in all 560 schools including 103 High Schools, 96 Junior High Schools and 406 Primary schools while the number of Unaided schools are 66 Higher secondary schools, 395 High schools and 140 Primary schools.

In addition, the number of private schools under the Department are 101 Higher Secondary schools, 687 Junior High schools and 1672 Primary schools.

On the other hand, the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, which has been entrusted with the task of publishing the prescribed text books in schools, has not been able to ensure timely availability of text books to the students.

An official source informed that text books for class I to 10 would be made available in the open market either on April 4 or 5.The source said that though there was no problem with regard to the text books of class IX and X, there was some difficulties that led to the delayed in the publication of text books for class 1 to VIII, mainly on account of the incident of killing the Chairman of the Board.

With funding under Sarva Shiksha Abiyan, State Mission Authority, the Board has been entrusted with the responsibility of publishing the prescribed text books.