TSE brings heart rending tales of displaced students

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 24: Displaced and deprived of even basic necessities, the future remains bleak for more than 11,000 school students across 271 relief camps in Manipur.
The parents, having lost all reliable sources of income, are hapless as they navigate to find jobs and sustain their families.
"Our children's lives could have been very different if not for the violent conflict that has forced us into relief camps," said an internally displaced man from Churachandpur.
Father of two children, the man is staying at a relief camp in Moirang.
"Before the conflict, I had the means and money to send my children to school and arrange tuition for them. Now, I have lost everything. I'm unable to provide them fresh books and even the stationery items they need," said the man.
Sadly, he is not the only parent facing the same predicament. Most IDP families staying in relief camps are facing a similar situation, and they can't help but worry about their children's future.
According to a source in the Education(S) Department, there are 11,030 internally displaced students (Pre-Primary to Class XII) in 271 relief camps across Manipur.
While the number of IDP students is falling because of resettlement of some families, at present, there are at least 2,679 IDP students enrolled in Government schools, and 8,231 enrolled in private schools.
And, there are over 5,000 displaced students staying at relief camps in the valley districts. If undergraduate students are included, then the number could well reach 6000.
While the displaced students in relief camps are lacking in all spheres, they have no proper space to study and do their school exercises.
In all of the relief camps across the valley, two or more families are tightly packed in a single room--which also serves as the kitchen, dining place, and space for sleeping.
The families have very little privacy, and the students have no space.
The Sangai Express visited some of the relief camps across valley districts, and found none had a proper study room.
Most students were found studying on their beds, and on the floors amid the chaos inside the packed rooms.
Ideal Girls' College Akampat relief camp convenor Ningthoujam Samananda spoke to this paper in person, and said the "fates of the displaced students are bleak".
Ningthoujam Samananda is also the education secretary of Committee on Protection of Meitei Victims Moreh.
He said the displaced students in relief camps need the attention and all possible help from the Government, NGOs, civil societies and the public.
"You can't compare and treat normal students with displaced persons. They are displaced and deprived of their rights and basic needs. Without proper intervention and assistance, they may not get the education they deserve to become responsible and contributing members of the society," Samananda said.
On aid for displaced students, Samananda said the Government, authorities concerned and many organisations did provide text books, stationery and sports items. But, they need far more than textbooks and pens, he added.
While some private schools are offering education to IDPs for free or at discounted fees, many have denied admission to IDP students thinking they will lose money, considering the financial condition of the displaced parents, Samananda said.
Last year, a female displaced student staying at Langol relief camp was denied admission at Ibotonsana Girls' Higher Secondary School on the ground that her score was below 80 percent. She was just a few marks shy of 80 percent, Samananda said.
Notably, Ibotonsana Girls' Higher Secondary School is a Government school, and the admission was denied inspite of a Government order that allows IDP students to get admission to Government run schools.
In a positive step, Samananda said 18 private schools in the valley have enrolled IDP students without taking admission fees, and three others have waived off both admission and tuition fees.
The 18 schools which aren't charging admission fees include SCM School Akampat, Bal Vidya Mandir Palace Compound, Maichou Khongnangthaba School Kakwa, Royal Academy Wangjing, Progress Academy Wangjing, CEEF Wangjing, IPS Canchipur, RM School Kwakeithel Heinoukhong-nembi, Oxford Lamphel, Grace Cottage Lamphel etc.
The schools which have waived off all fees for IDPs include Regular School, Kwakeithel, St George High School, Wangkhei and Heritage Convent, Uripok.
After the IGAR South was approached with a request, the Assam Rifles School at Mantripukhri is currently providing education for free to 4 IDP students, Samananda said.
Sunbird Trust, a Bangalore based NGO, has facilitated admission and education for free to 12 IDP students in schools and colleges outside Manipur, he added.
Further, Sunbird Trust has also shown interest in bearing fees of IDP students and those belonging to below poverty line (BPL) enrolled at three schools, Maichou Khongnangthaba at Kakwa, Nongpok Maheikol at Bamon Leikai and one other school at Wangjing, Samananda said.
During N Biren Singh's tenure as Chief Minister before President's Rule was imposed, an incentive of Rs 15,000 each was declared for undergraduate IDP students.
While some 400 undergraduate students received the incentive, about 70 students didn't, he said.
Smartphones were also promised but it was never provided to the students, he added.
"The displaced students are lacking in all spheres. The Government, Department of Education and relevant authorities must pay special attention, and address their needs. Without positive intervention, we may lose our future generation," Samananda said.
Every parent wants their children to get the best education. The displaced parents, even though they don't have money or means, want to send their children to good schools. Without stable jobs or income, they need help. The Government must therefore help them get their children the best education.
Specially, the children from Class VIII to XII need assistance. They are at a crucial age where they must begin preparations for various competitive and entrance examinations, Samananda said.
"While they do need books and pens, they also need proper study rooms. Every relief camp must have dedicated study rooms where students may read, study without anyone disturbing them," Samananda said.
The distribution of displaced students across districts, as per our source in the Education Department, is given below--
At 17 relief camps in Imphal West, there are 1,605 IDP students.
At 6 relief camps in Wangoi, there are 248 IDP students.
16 relief camps in Imphal East have a total of 771 IDP students.
At 47 relief camps in Bishnupur district, there are 1,728 IDP students.
3 relief camps in Thoubal have a total of 271 IDP students.
27 relief camps in Kakching have 567 IDP students.
6 relief camps in Jiribam have 92 students.
Churachandpur district has 89 relief camps, and these camps house 2,402 IDP students.
43 relief camps in Kangpokpi have a total of 2,901 IDP students.
10 relief camps in Ukhrul have 292 IDP students.
7 relief camps in Tengnoupal have a total of 145 IDP students.