MCPCR memo seeks rules for hostels
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 29 2022: In order to ensure that rights of children are not violated in any manner, Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) has submitted a memorandum to Manipur Governor La Ganesan with request for formulating regulations for students' hostels in the state.

Members of MCPCR led by its chairperson Manibabu submitted the memorandum to the Governor on Monday.

Speaking to The People's Chronicle after meeting the Governor, Manibabu noted that students started going to schools as normal classes resumed after long halt due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, hostels for students will also begin functioning like before.

However, hostels of educational institutions for children remain as an unregulated space till today as there is no regulation for them, he pointed out.

Confiding that several instances have been reported to NCPCR/MCPCR regarding violation of rights of children and girls in particular, Manibabu continued that there are various hostels running under various schemes of the government and privately run educational institutions with residential facilities.

Fees are either being charged in some hostels or services are offered on charity basis in some.

As there has been lack of uniform regulation in functioning of hostels for the purpose of education across the country, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed a "Regulatory Guidelines for Hostels of Educational Institutions for Children".

The guidelines cover all aspects of a child's need in educational hostels, he mentioned, while informing that after intensive consultation of the guidelines in the context of Manipur, a draft copy was submitted to the Social Welfare and School Education director for getting approval from the state government.

Manibabu also expressed desire for facilitating health check- up of the students every six months by joining hands with ZEO and CMO so as to protect the young students from addictive substances and to check their health status.

Even with such a huge responsibility entrusted on the state commission, members of MCPCR are not included in the order of warrant of precedence issued by secretary (GAD), he contended, while informing that members of other commissions such as Manipur State Commission for Women, Manipur State OBC Commission and Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur are included in the Order of Warrant of Precedence.

Manibabu urged the Governor to look into the matter so that order of warrant of precedence for the commission may be passed.

Moreover, he exhorted the state government to establish a Children Park in Manipur, to make a separate office complex of the State Commission with adequate infrastructure and facilities and to propose the authority to include one representative from MCPCR in the state Covid vaccination task force.

Manibabu narrated that the Governor assured of looking into the matters and meeting Class XII students for one hour in a month in a phase wise manner.

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