No plan to resume regular classes: Minister
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, September 28 2021: Education Minister S Rajen Singh has revealed that the state government has initiated steps to bring out a model online platform so that quality online classes for schools and colleges could be taken up as there is no immediate plan to resume regular classes due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Disclosing this during inspection of ongoing construction works at Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) on Tuesday, minister Rajen said that online classes are going on smoothly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responding to a query raised by media persons, S Rajen said that there is no immediate plan to reopen educational institutions as health department is yet to give approval in this regard.

Though COVID-19 situation in the state has improved a little bit and fatality rate gone down significantly, daily positive cases remain inconsistent and there is no discussion to resume normal classes.

Nevertheless, the government will discuss the matter of reopening educational institutions when the pandemic situation improves, he added.

Though schools and colleges remain closed due to the pandemic, online classes are going on smoothly and chief minister N Biren has also launched a scheme to provide smart phones to students whose families could not afford one.

Such students in hill districts namely Chandel, Senapati and Churachandpur have already been provided smart phone under the scheme, Rajen said, adding that steps to formulate a model online platform for giving quality online classes has begun and the department has initiated steps to float tender in this regard.

He also expressed hope that there will be a significant change in education system in the state.

He informed that the ongoing constructions in the DMU campus will be completed as soon as possible and some blocks in the campus will be ready for inauguration in October this year.

Necessary instructions have also been issued to the agency concerned for speedy completion of the construction works, he added.

Clarifying to media regarding the admission issue in the DM College of Teacher Education, minister Rajen said that there are complaints from some section of students and guardians stating that the recent admission process in this college was not free and fair.

As a result, the department has ordered for a probe to find out whether there was any manipulation.

The matter will be settled very soon, he assured.

He also instructed all concerned to keep compounds of educational institutes neat and clean while maintaining that educational institutes are temples for learning for the students.

A clean mind and holistic wisdom can be acquired only from a neat and clean environment.

Authorities of the institutes should be responsible to maintain the surrounding neat and clean.

This is a way to attract students to the respective institutes, he added.

During the inspection visit, minister Rajen was accompanied by DMU VC professor Rajmuhon Singh, DM College of Science principal M Bhubaneshori, L Nevedita Devi (IAS), chief engineer (Education Engineering Wing) Saratchandra Singh and other officials.

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