Manipur minister Basanta Kumar says 98% of displaced students given free admission

Of the 4,617 schools in Manipur, 26 are yet to be reopened as they are in sensitive areas or being used as relief camps or to accommodate central police forces. Eighteen of these schools are in Churachandpur, three each in Imphal East and Jiribam, and one each in Kangpokpi and Chandel districts, the minister said, adding that all schools in Imphal West were functioning.

Nodal officers and volunteers were appointed and a control room was set up to ensure free admission for the displaced students as well as to distribute study materials, textbooks, stationery items and uniforms among them, Singh said. Identity cards and certificates were issued to the students.

The minister said the Chief Minister’s College Students Rehabilitation Scheme 2023 was launched to provide free admission, a one-time rehabilitation grant and free smartphones for displaced college students.

Listing the alternative modes of teaching-learning introduced to help the students living in relief camps, the minister said a free educational TV channel called Lairk started functioning on Jio TV. A drama based on an academic curriculum called Radio Class is being aired by the All India Radio, Imphal. Also available is a free mobile app called Lairk that provides more than 1,300 e-content videos.

Singh also said that a proposal for providing supplementary financial support to the displaced students had been submitted to the education ministry. The proposal has provisions for tablets, white boards, textbooks, notebooks, stationery and sports items, first-aid kits and uniforms.