Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, March 05:
Piqued with the misuse of beneficiary schemes in the tribal areas with regard to education Movement for Tribal Peoples Rights, Manipur (MTPRM) and Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) said implementation of SSA scheme has brought confusion and problems particularly in the hill districts.
MTPRM general secretary S Johnson, ZYF president Poujeng Kamei and another ZYF leader Titus Kamei stated that although huge amount of money had been sanctioned for the successful implementation of SSA scheme for the benefit of rural areas/poorest of the poor people but nothing worthy had been materialised particularly in the hill districts of Manipur.
almost a couple of years had lapsed ever since the introduction of SSA scheme in Manipur but only two months pay had been released to the teachers under SSA scheme, they said.
The tribal leaders pointed out that confusion had started when the govt junior schools/elementary schools teachers had been put to serve as SSA teachers and in the meantime the ZEOs are also serving as the District Project Officer (DPO) for the SSA.
MTPRM and ZYF leaders countered that when the govt junior schools teachers have been engaged in the schools under SSA it left vacuum in the government schools.
The tribal leaders asked 'who should fill up the vacant places of teachers in the government schools as the teachers had already been engaged in the SSA.
They also pointed out that not a single school buildings under the SSA schemes had been constructed till date.
According to the guidelines of the SSA scheme school buildings attached with kitchens should be constructed since the SSA scheme include provision for free meals to the students.
The tribal leaders further stated that one instructor each should be appointed in every SSA school according to the guidelines but nothing that sort had been done.
The MTPRM and ZYF leaders then rued that the SSA scheme is not benefitting the targets.
They said that the scheme is meant for the extreme rural areas and for the dropouts and also for the villagers who are confined in far-off schools.