Ukhrul KVS students, parents protest extended vacation
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, July 03 2023: Concerned over the continued extension of summer vacation imped ing the academic progress of Kendriya Vidyalaya School (KVS), Ukhrul, parents and students of the school staged a silent protest in Ukhrul town on Monday.

Hundreds of KVS students and their parents gathered at Gandhi Chawk, Phun greitang holding a banner, reading 'No More Extension of Vacation- We Want to Go Back to School'.

The students also held banners inscribed with slogans like 'We want resumption of classes', 'Vacation extension, education denied', 'Education is our right, please give', 'I miss my school & friends', 'No to extending vacation, yes to school', etc.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines, a parent Leishiwon pointed out that continued extension of summer vacation has badly affected the studies of the students who have not been able attend class for almost two months now.

"Though Ukhrul district is not affected by the cur rent conflict happening in certain parts of the state, random extension of vacation is affecting career of the students," she said, urging authorities concerned not to extend the vacation any further.

A class X student HA Mansak also lamented that she could not continue her regular studies due to the prolonged closure of the school while one Rinchipem Khaleng also aired the same grievances, stating that their vacation has been continuously extended though the atmosphere here is peaceful.

Interacting with The People's Chronicle, a parent K Yuireihor informed that the school has 40 days vacation in a normal academic session starting from May 8 to June 16 . However, the vacation has been extended for up to a total of 70 days now.

"This has continued for the second time and till July 17 . The first extension was till July 2," he rued, adding that the parents are wor-ried about the future of their children.

Later, the students and parents proceeded towards the mini secretariat and submitted a six-point memorandum of the Parents Support Group (PSG) of the school, to the Minister of Human Resource Develop ment (HRD), Government of India, through the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul, who is also the chairman of VMC Kendriya Vidyalaya Ukhrul.

The memo stated that the ongoing conflict in Manipur is not affecting Ukhrul, and that the situation here is normal.

Public transport is plying as usual from Ukhrul to Imphal and vice versa.

So, there will be no issue for the teachers to reach Ukhrul town.

It also mentioned that the vacation issue came in even as students' normal life was badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and students' academic life was yet to come back to normalcy.

"Extending of holiday repeatedly will have negative impact on the discipline and academic career of 400-plus students of this Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.

Students from urban city like Imphal could afford alternative source of lessons/courses from well-established coaching centres whereas rural town like Ukhrul does not have such facilities apart from school," it pointed out.

The memo stated that in Ukhrul, all departments including both government and private educational institutions have continued regular classes in spite of holiday declaration by the Education Department, considering the normal situation in the district.

"Random extension of holiday without apprising the situation of VMC Kendriya Vidyalaya chairman concerned, is unfair and unjust.

Further extending holiday , across Manipur state, we strongly felt that the right to education for the rural students have been blatantly denied by the Commissioner, KVS, New Delhi, Government of India.

Therefore, allow KVS, Ukhrul to reopen," it said.

"We have often witnessed the rights of the minorities being overlooked while serving the interest of the majorities, and it won't be wrong to state that the right to education of the rural students is being ignored regardless of the peaceful environment in the district," it added.

It is learnt that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Parents Support Group and the Chairman, VMC, KV Ukhrul (Deputy commissioner, Ukhrul, Government of Manipur) have repeatedly apprised the commissioner - KVS, New Delhi and Regional office, Tinsukia Region Authority about the matter but to no avail.

The appeal was made considering the plight of the students for ensuring quality education for the students.

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