MACR inspects schools, homes in CCpur
Pathetic condition of schools with no infrastructure found
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 30 2013 :
With no drinking water provided and poor toilet facilities, the students of Rengkhai Higher Secondary School have been experiencing a very hard time.
Rengkhai Higher Secondary School which has from classes I to XII with total student strength of around 1000 is located in Churachandpur district.
The students of this school are deprived of safe drinking water and are forced to use a badly maintained toilet.
Over and above, the mid- day Meal is found provided not properly to the students and the kitchen of the school turned into a kennel.
The pathetic condition of the school was came across by a team of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) led by its Convener K Pradipkumar when they went for an inspection visit along with a team of media persons today.
The team found the students of Rengkai Higher Secondary school using rain water for drinking purpose.
Out of the three toilets available in the school for boys, only one, that too, in a bad shape was found in usable condition.
There is also only one toilet for girl students in the school.
When enquired about mid day meal, the staffs of the school informed that though some amount of rice is provided to the school under mid day meal scheme, they are not aware of how much rice is provided under the scheme on monthly basis.
The inspection team also came across that the kitchen of the school where mid-day meal is to be cooked has been turned into a kennel.
The visiting team of MACR also met Joseph Lalrotheng, Zonal Education Officer, Churanchadpur and enquired about the pathetic condition of Rengkhai Higher Secondary School.
The officer assured of taking up all necessary measures to improve the condition of the school and to correct the mistakes if there were any.
The MACR team also visited the complex of Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Churachandpur and inspected the Observation Home where there are only six children.
The Director of the Board Dr Rev Vicky Thanga Hrangchal told the visiting team that there were earlier 147 children in the Observation Home in 2007 out of which 100 of them were involved in illegal activities such as getting themselves recruited as child soldiers of certain UG groups.
Out of the six children presently staying in the observation home, two of them are involved in child soldier case.
Talking to media persons on the sidelines of the inspection visit, Pradipkumar stated that the inspection visit made today in Churachandpur district is a part of the fact finding process being carried out by MACR for the last 6-7 years.
It is an investigation to find out whether the children of Churachandpur district are enjoying the benefits of Right to Education Act or not.
He further informed that the case of recruiting children as child soldiers by certain UG groups is quite serious in Manipur.
Recruitment of child soldiers by the UG groups should be stopped.
The UG groups should abide by the resolution of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The State Government should also provide enough assistance to the Observation Homes so that the children are brought back to the mainstream.
Pradipkumar urged the concerned authority to look into the poor and pathetic condition of the government schools and to do the needful at the earliest possible in the interest of the students.
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