Students’ massive rallies across Manipur valley demand ‘disturbance free education zone’

Massive rallies carried out across the valley districts of Manipur on Saturday reiterated students’ and teachers’ call for ‘disturbance-free education zone’.
The rallies, which drew large crowds, called for an end to disruptions in the education sector arising from conflict, political unrest, corruption, and administrative apathy.
Apart from hundreds of students in school uniform and teachers, members of various civil society organizations (CSOs) took part in the rallies that marched on the streets in Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur districts.
Memorandums were also submitted to the Manipur Governor who is currently the head of state administration under President’s Rule through the concerned DCs highlighting the demands which the government should implement to make education a free zone. The memorandums urged the state government to recognize schools and academic institutions as neutral and protected zones.
The rallies were carried out to mark the 18th year of a campaign to make the education sector a free zone spearheaded by the Coordinating Committee on Disturbance Free Educational Zone Demand, an apex body of various student and teacher bodies. The apex body has been campaigning for the cause since 2018. The main event held in Imphal was organized by Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) in collaboration with 15 other CSOs under the common theme: “Make Education a Disturbance Free Zone.”
“Make 220 teaching days in schools a legal right” read one of the placards displayed by the students. Others read, “No corruption, no nepotism, no favoritism – only for education”, “Stop demanding money from the educational institutions”, “Stop using students as tools for ransom”, “Respect the rights of the students”, “Make education an essential service,” “Don’t terrorize students”, etc.
The rally in Imphal kicked off from THAU Ground near the Manipur Legislative Assembly and after covering key locations and crowded areas of the capital city culminated at Imphal College, Kwakeithel.
DESAM president Mayengbam Somorjit who is also the convener of the Coordinating Committee on Disturbance Free Educational Zone Demand told reporters that education institutions should be free from all kinds of disturbances that would disturb the academic atmosphere of the students.
He emphasized the right to education while stressing the urgent need to insulate educational institutions from the ongoing disturbances, extortion, and socio-political issues.
“Education must remain uninterrupted under all circumstances,” he said, appealing to all stakeholders to support the demand for a secure and free academic environment. Somorjit pressed the government to enact legislation mandating a minimum of 220 academic days in a year in all educational institutions.
He also stressed the need for transparency in educational governance, insisting that appointments and promotions should be free from corruption, nepotism, and favouritism.
The rallies also called on all armed groups operating in the state to refrain from imposing financial or material demands on schools and colleges, he said, adding that these practices not only disrupted the academic activities but also placed undue pressure on institutions.
He once again appealed to all to make all the educational institutions ‘a disturbance-free education zone’ in all parts of the state.