IMPHAL: The Manipur government asserted that all schools will open and conduct their classes as usual from 17 September 2024, with a renewed assessment of the ongoing situation. It thereby maintained its temporary closure of schools in the entire state.
The directive considers all types of schools in the state, namely, government schools, government-aided schools, private schools, and central schools. Full-fledged official orders were issued by the Department of Education-Schools on September 12 so that all the Zonal Education Officers concerned may be intimated and the reopening process carried on smoothly.
This declaration brings relief to many students, parents, as well as teachers who had navigated uncertainties for a few weeks. The decision was made with consideration of the persistent concerns regarding safety and the changing scenario in the state.
The school closures were first ordered on September 6, 2024, when the Directorate of Education (Schools) in Manipur ordered the closure of all schools across the state starting from September 7 as the unrest in the state continued. This decision was taken so that students, teachers, and staff could move into greater safety as the row that developed owing to the volatile nature of the environment deepened. The order applied uniformly to government-run, aided, private, and central schools.
At this juncture, the Directorate emphasized that decisive steps had to be taken to protect the well-being of the education community. Therefore, the authorities delegated the task of distribution of the closure notice to the Zonal Education Officers and instructed the latter to inform the former to close all schools in their respective jurisdictions pending government directive to resume classes. Since this order to close the schools created a limbo in the state's educational landscape, all eyes were set on guidance coming from the government.
Students and teachers now have hope to look forward to as schools have been given permission to reopen. The government has made this decision, thus leaving very little doubt that the situation in Manipur is very good enough for it to be safe for individuals to return to classes.
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