Manipur violence: State govt extends summer vacation for schools till June 19

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence since the first week of May, in which several people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced

The Manipur government has decided to extend summer vacation holidays of all schools till June 19 in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state.

A member of the Kuki tribe during a protest against the violence in Manipur. (AP Photo)

“A notification has been issued in this regard,” L Nandakumar Singh, director of education (schools) with the Manipur government, said on Thursday.

This is issued in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state and as per the approval of the government, he added.

The state school education department had earlier extended the vacation till June 15 after the education minister Th Basanta Kumar initially announced the vacation from May 4-30.

Manipur has around 1,110 schools, including 643 private, 384 government and 83 aided, according to Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BoSEM).

The BoSEM secretary informed that students who have been displaced due to the violence and are willing to seek transfer to the nearest feasible school of their choice are allowed to do so from Class IX to IX, Class IX to X, Class X to X (both BoSEM-to-BoSEM and other boards to BoSEM) at free of cost.

As per state education department records which was released sometime back, 4,747 students (pre-primary to class XII) were taking shelter in relief camps across the state. Of that, the maximum number of students (2,217) are at relief camps in Bishnupur district, followed by Kangpokpi (932).

The state education department has also been providing learning materials to displaced school children who are at temporary relief camps in the state.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence since the first week of May, in which several people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced.

Nine people were gunned down while another 10 injured in Imphal East district a day ago when a group of unidentified men stormed a village and opened fire, dampening the government’s continued efforts to restore peace in the state.

Clashes between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis has claimed 115 lives since May 3, forcing district authorities to impose curfew in most violence-hit areas.