Manipur goes back to school: On day 1, turnout low but excitement high

Langamba (middle) is new to the school; his family is staying at a relief camp. (Express Photo)

“The attendance today was lower than we expected. We have been getting calls from parents trying to confirm that the school is indeed open. Some are scared to send their wards, particularly those staying at the peripheral areas of Imphal. They feel the situation is unpredictable as there are still reports of violence, and authorities could lift curfew relaxation anytime,” said Ranjita Devi R K, the headmistress.

“We have a school WhatsApp group with parents and students. Usually, we would circulate any notification in that group, but due to the internet ban, we haven’t been able to reach out to the parents and reassure them,” she said.

Teachers, though, were out in full force, with Ranjita saying all of the 40 teaching and non-teaching staff were present on day 1.

Scenes at Wangkhei High School in Imphal East on Wednesday. (Express Photo)

Ethnic violence first erupted in Manipur on May 3, and while the state has seen periods of calm, the situation remains tense, with clashes between Meiteis, Kukis and security forces reported at regular intervals. One of the biggest fallouts of the state going into a virtual lockdown was the impact on education. At a recent press conference announcing the reopening of schools, Chief Minister Biren Singh said it was felt that the decision was “necessary and important”.

Wangkhei High School in Imphal East is among the most prominent government schools in the state. Among students present on Wednesday was Langamba, whose family was evacuated from Moreh town in Tengnoupal district just days after violence erupted. His family, along with several others who have been displaced, are taking shelter at a relief camp within the same school.

Langamba, who is in Class 6, is among 32 displaced students who have now been enrolled at Wangkhei High School.

Being new to the school, he wasn’t as enthusiastic as his classmates. “I don’t know. It’s okay, I guess,” he said when asked about his experience on day 1.

Thaja and Selina, on the other hand, couldn’t contain their excitement. “We haven’t seen each other since the violence started, though we would talk over the phone sometimes,” Selina said.

Both said they wished the violence would end so more of their friends would return to school.

According to Manipur Education Director L Nandakumar, the student turnout was average, with attendance ranging between 25 and 30 percent. However, in Churachandpur district, which is where the violence began and which has remained on the boil ever since, almost all the schools remained closed. While the valley, including Imphal, are dominated by Meiteis, the hill areas such as Churachandpur are Kuki-dominated.

Nandakumar said authorities are looking for alternative arrangements for the district. An order issued by the department on Tuesday stated that most schools in Churachandpur are involved in relief measures, and a separate order will be issued so that a way can be found for classes to resume.

As per official records, as many as 11,967 students from classes 1 to 8 were displaced by the violence, with many taking shelter in the 336 relief camps across the state. Around 60 percent of these students have now been enrolled in schools closest to the camps.