Students at a school in Imphal on June 15 formed a human chain demanding a “disturbance-free education zone”.
Students of St Joseph Higher Secondary School in Imphal carried out the protest as a part of Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM)’s ongoing campaign for making schools free from all kinds of disturbances.
DESAM, under the aegis of the Coordinating Committee on Disturbance Free Educational Zone Demand, has been campaigning for “disturbance-free education zone” in the last few years.
On June 15, students formed a human chain on the road near their school campus and displayed various placards such as “stop using students as tools”, “respect the rights of the students”, “make education an essential service,” “don’t terrorize students”, “stop demanding money from the educational institutions”, etc.
Talking to reporters, DESAM general secretary, Mayengbam Somorjit urged all concerns not to cause any kind of disturbance in schools so as to allow the students to learn with peace of mind. At the same time, he demanded the state government to implement the education policy effectively. The DESAM leader also stressed the need for making education free from all sorts of violence.
The general secretary of DESAM further demanded to recognize the education sector as an essential service sector so that it can be kept outside the purview of bandhs, blockades and any other forms of strikes.
“The concerned authorities of the state government must also take up the needful to ensure free movement of teachers, non-teaching staff and students during bandh or strikes,” he further demanded.
Mayengbam Somorjit then said that DESAM will continue the campaign, if necessary, to prevent interference in the functioning of educational institutions.
He then appealed to all not to cause disturbance to educational institutions by triggering bombs or by serving monetary demands or by imposing bandhs and blockades.
