Students' uncertain fate worries ATSUM
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, July 17 2023:
All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) appealed to the authority concerned to address grievances of the student community in the backdrop of the unrest situation in the state.
As the unrest remains unabated for the past 74 days, students are bearing the brunt of the situation as thousands had to flee their respective educational institutions in both valley and hills for want of safety, ATSUM said in a statement.
While students and their families are running pillar to post for readmission in educational institutions in safe areas, myriads of difficulties are faced by the students, it stated.
The difficulties includes financial issues for pay -ment of admission fees, uniform charges, purchase of books and other stationery charges, inconveniences in transfer of students from one school to another in BOSEM/COHSEM, inconveniences of transfer from state board to Central board and vice-versa.
Since the onset of the violence in the state, the state government ordered closure of internet services to curb the turmoil.
However, restoration of normalcy in the state appears illusive despite internet ser vices being suspended for the last two and half months.
The continuous closure of internet services instead causes more suffering to the people especially the student community who are denied access to information and other academic materials.
This tantamount to deprivation of human rights, the ATSUM said and lamented that students pursuing higher studies in the state and preparing for competitive exams are left in the lurch as they could not access relevant information.
If this trend of closing internet services is not reviewed promptly, the future of the students appears grim, it stated.
The apex tribal student body also drew immediate attention of state administration, authority concerned and educational institutions to address grievances of the students by facilitating one time exemption of admission fees, transfer of students names from one school to other in BOSEM/COHSEM, transfer from state board to Central board and vice-versa.
The ATSUM further said that state administration's 'No Work, No Pay' policy to restore normalcy in the state is quite disturbing as it aggravates the wounds of the government employees across all communities who had fled their posting places as they feel unsafe due to the prevailing strife.
Rather than imposing tyranny on its innocent employees, the state administration should give more effort on building confidence and bridging the gap between communities, the ATSUM suggested.