Inadequate infrastructures and paucity of teachers are main disturbances in the education sector, stated the Coordinating Committee on Disturbance Free Educational Zone Demand on Saturday.
The committee, in continuation of its campaign for promoting a conducive academic atmosphere in the state, also staged a sit-in protest at Yaipha-Thouni Shanglen, Keishampat.
The demand is to make the education sector free from all forms of disturbances, M Lokendro, chairman of the coordinating committee, who is also president of All Manipur College Teachers’ Association, told mediapersons.
Lokendro said that various disturbances such as lack of basic infrastructures, paucity of teachers and various social and environmental factors are faced by students and teachers. The committee has been placing the demand since July 5, 2008, he said.
The campaign will continue till July 5 and it will be concluded with a public meeting, he said, urging the general public, students, teachers, parents, government and all the stakeholders to make collective efforts to ensure a conducive academic atmosphere in the state.
Meanwhile, convenor of the committee, Leishangthem Lamyanba expressed disappointment over how the government is handling issues of lack of adequate infrastructures and absence of regular principals in colleges among others.
He said that under the NEP, a four-year undergraduate programme will begin from this year. Besides, an integrated teachers education programme is all set to kick off in nine colleges from next year even as colleges are suffering from inadequate teaching staff. Considering all these, the government must prioritise recruitment of teachers and appointment of regular principals and other demands of the committee, he demanded.
Pointing out that as per ASER report, the rate of enrolment in government schools has declined to 13 per cent from 26 per cent in 2018, while enrolment in private schools has crossed over 80 per cent, he said people of the state, especially students are deprived of quality education in government schools.
He lashed out at the government for "giving lame excuses of financial constraint” when demands for recruitment of teachers and upgrading of infrastructures were placed. The government must increase the budget for education, he added.
He appealed to all concerned to stop using students as a tool for holding protests, refrain from threats and intimidation and seek quotas in an unwarranted manner. Besides, teachers should also refrain from holding cease work strikes as they are a form of disturbance, he said and urged everyone to treat education as an essential service.
He also drew the government's attention to properly regulate private schools and transportation fare for students.
