Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) on Wednesday locked the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) office at Lamphelpat which has been lying vacant reportedly for more than 13 months over the alleged non-appointment of its director.
The students stormed the office around 12 noon and asked all the staff present to vacate the office building. Later, they locked the office building and entrance of the office as well.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, DESAM secretary general Mayengbam Somorjit said that SCERT as an institution is pivotal in framing syllabus and curriculum in the state. Besides, the National Education Policy, 2020 advocates for carrying out the teaching-learning process in mother tongue, he said. However, the post of director of such an important institution has been lying vacant for over 13 months, he lamented.
He further said that the government may abolish the institution altogether if it is not willing to make it function properly to improve the education scenario in the state.
Somorjit said that authorities concerned, including the Education minister and officials have remained indifferent to the demand of the student body to notify one DIET centre for training in mother tongue and to appoint the director.
He also said that the government is not giving enough focus to education even if various personalities highlight the importance of education on various platforms.
He cautioned that the government must bear responsibility if the locked office is opened forcefully. The DESAM secretary general said that the body is prepared for intensified agitations if the vacant post of director is not filled at the earliest.
