Imphal, November 25 2009: Apart from lack of necessary infrastructure and teachers, students are being provided raw rice instead of cooked meal under the Mid-Day Meal scheme in most of the Government schools in the hill districts of the State.

According to a survey report of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM), with exception to few schools in the district headquarters, implementation of Mid Day Meal scheme does not make sense in most schools where students are being provided rice instead of cooked meal, that too only occasionally.

The report of the four-month long survey conducted between June and November with special focus on high schools and junior schools further noted that most schools received few kilograms of rice once or twice a year.

The tiny rooms that passed off as 'kitchens' constructed under the scheme have also not been utilised in most schools so far.

With regard to the implementation of the Centrally sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the survey report pointed out that most schools receive the textbooks though not in time and the construction of classrooms/buildings have been completed only on paper.

Moreover, no replacement have been provided for some 30 to 40 school teachers who are being engaged under the scheme.

Lack of necessary infrastructures and teachers, functioning of the schools under in-charge headmasters, mass absenteeism of teachers and employment of substitution teachers are some of the common trends in most schools that have been responsible for the overall failure of school education in the hill districts, the survey report noted.

According to the findings of survey report, in Chandel district, Maha Union High School at the district headquarters as the only Government school with a good number of staff and students.

However, the toilet facilities of both the staff and students are pitiful and the school is badly in need of a science laboratory with equipments.

Though Chakpikarong High School (class I to X) has enough students (233), it does not have adequate teachers and the benches, desks and blackboards are not upto the mark.

In Tamenglong district, Model Village High School and Old Tamenglong Junior High School have enough staff and students but the condition of the school buildings is pathetic.

In Langmei High School in Tamei Sub-division, there is huge shortage of teachers.

Longpi High School in Tamenglong is surprisingly run and manage by substitute teachers and the school building is pathetic.

In Churachandpur district, Rengkai High School (recently upgraded to Higher Secondary level) with more than 1000 students is very congested.

On clerk of the school had been recently transferred and no replacement has been provided till date.

Lingshiphai Junior High School has no building and students but more than 20 teachers have been posted in the school.

Parvachawm Junior High School in Parbung block has classes from nursery to X but has just five regular and 4 substitute teachers.

The only science graduate teacher posted to the school is yet to join though he had reported himself in the district office.

P Munte Junior High School in Vangai Range Block has adequate students but only 7 teachers who are also substitutes.

Kaizakhup Junior High School in Ngoiphai village had been submerged by Khuga Dam and no new building, with exception to the two classrooms under SSA, has been constructed so far.

Saipum Junior High School has good number of staff and students but no proper building and there is shortage of teachers.

In Ukhrul district, Raphei High School which is the only school where students of the three neighbouring villages can study has no proper building and toilet facilities.

There is also shortage of not only teachers but also benches and desks.

Chingai High School has enough students and is functioning smoothly.

But it requires extra classrooms, more teaching staff as well as benches and desks.

In Senapati district, Purul High School, which has been recently upgraded to Higher Secondary level, has maximum number of students among all the schools under ZEO Senapati.

The school, however, still has a shortage of 12 teachers of different grades and two Grade-IV employees.

Mao Maram High School has only 76 students and is functioning smoothly.

But it requires toilet facilities and more benches, desks, blackboards and science equipments.

Sadar Patel High School and Paomata High School also need to be paid more attention with regard to shortage of teachers and infrastructures.

In Kangpokpi, though there are a good number of students in Motbung High School, posting of 37 teachers in the school is more than sufficient.

Kangpokpi High School has no toilet facilities and requires science and maths teachers.

In T Waichoing Junior High School which has a good number of students, the local villagers have contributed money for hiring teachers to teach the students of class IX and X .

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