AMSU and parents call for reopening of Catholic schools

IMPHAL, April 22: The All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has called upon the authorities who run catholic schools in and around Imphal to reopen their schools on or before April 30 in the interest of the students. A joint meeting of the executive members of the AMSU and parents of over 15,000 students studying in the seven catholic schools was also held at the hall of Dhanamanjuri College of Arts here this morning. One Nilakomol, a guardian of a student of Little Flower School, was the chief guest and secretary general of AMSU headquarters, Premananda Yumnam presided over the gathering. The AMSU also decided to take a final decision if the catholic school authorities failed to reopen their schools on or before April 30. Besides the joint meeting also resolved to submit the proceedings of the meeting of the responsible state authority for taking up necessary and immediate steps for the welfare of the students studying in the catholic schools. A good number of parents and guardians of students were present at the meeting. The joint meeting resented the closure of the schools by the authorities without giving prior information to the parents and guardians before starting the academic classes in their respective schools just because they were receiving monetary demands from the underground outfits. Some of the parents expressed suspicion of RSS, and VHP's hand in the closing of catholic schools in the state. They further blamed the People's Front ministry led by Radhabinod Koijam for not taking up any initiatives in relation to the reopening of the catholic schools for the sake of more than 15000 students. A class VIII student of Nirmalabas High School who came along with her father to attend the joint meeting wearing her school uniform when asked about the closing of school, said that her school has been closed from April 3. Since then she has been compelled to stay at her Thangmeiband residence, she said. One of the parents who works in a central government office said that though she is not a teacher by profession, she is tutoring her children who are studying in three different catholic schools. However all of them are getting bored staying home throughout the day failing to meet their classmates, she observed. It may be noted here that the Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) also had already flayed the decision of the catholic schools to close down the schools. A press statement of the Federation had also been issued recently in connection with the closure of the catholic schools. The MSF also stated that the rights of the students cannot be discarded just because the school authority is facing some problem.