Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 07:
The Vocational Education Employees� Association has threatened to launch intense agitation if the State Government do not revoke the suspension order of vocational education staff and clear the outstanding due salaries for the last 14 months within two weeks.
Presenting a memorandum consisting of a charter of demands to the Chief Minister, the Association said the aggrieved employees would be constraint to resort to intense forms of agitation if the demands are not met within two weeks.
The other demands of the Association include reinstating all the 11 vocational institutes and 15 vocational trades and to formulate a clear cut policy framework regarding vocational education scheme in Manipur.
The memorandum pointed out that in line with the National Policy, 1986, the Centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) of Vocationalisation of Education at +2 stage was implemented in Manipur in the year 1989-90 with a 75 percent Central matching share and 25 percent State matching share.
It was fully operational from the academic year 1996-97 in 19 institutes consisting of 15 Hr Sec Schools and 4 colleges based on 6 broad vocational areas.
By the end of 8th Plan, the Government of India send a letter regarding the transfer of the scheme to the States concerned.
However, non-transfer of the scheme and non-release of grants from the Centre on one hand and utter negligence on the part of the implementing State Government authorities to formulate a clear cut policy for popularisation of vocational education on the other has given serious setbacks to achievement of optimum level of performance in the State.
The memorandum further pointed out that as per the National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986 and its subsequent revision in 1992 and the National Curriculum Framework 2002, incentive schemes like Vocationalisation of Education at +2 stage must be realised particularly in the present context of socio-political and insurgency problem in the State of Manipur to promote self sustenance and to generate self employment as a measure for educational reorganisation in the State.