Imphal, November 10 2009: With the indefinite class boycott called by the AMSU, MSF and KSA still continuing, number of students attending class remained minimal today.

However, apparently responding to the call of the Government to re-open schools and conduct classes, some more schools located in Imphal East and Imphal West districts re-opened today after a prolonged closure.

Fear and sense of insecurity was writ large on a number of students who came to attend class today.

After the July 23 Khwairamband Keithel firing in which Sanjit and Rabina were killed and five others injured, academic atmosphere has been severely affected in the valley districts because of protest movements, bandhs, curfew and the continuing class boycott agitation.

With no sign of lifting the class boycott in the coming days, students are fearing for the worst as the academic year is coming to a close.

Students appearing for class XII and class X examinations are deeply worried as they have already lost three months of academic days while vast parts of the syllabus are yet to be covered.

After intermittent bandhs and curfews, almost all schools in the valley districts shut down following the indefinite class boycott called by the AMSU, MSF and KSA since September 9 in support of and KSA since September 9 in support to the movement spearheaded by the Apunba Lup.

This reporter, while touring Imphal district today, found some schools/colleges conducting class.

One TDC second year student of DM College of Science ruled out any chance of covering the prescribed syllabus in the remaining days of the current academic year.

As usual Manipur University would be conducting TDC exams in April 2010 but no practical class has been conducted as yet, the worried student said.

Appealing to the authorities to work out a solution regarding the class boycott agitation being undertaken by the AMSU, MSF and KSA so that students can attend class under a secure atmosphere, another student of the same college said that they came to attend college after communicating among themselves.

"However, as the number of students attending college was quite minimal, we cannot approach our teachers to conduct classes because we are also concerned about those students who do not come", he said.

Lamenting that the last four months gone without attending any class could not be recuperated, he said that there were lots of things to be learnt or which remained unlearnt even in normal conditions when classes were conducted and attended everyday.

"Being a student of Science stream, we are now facing greater hardships.

At this position, I don't think I can give the University exam", the student confided.

A student of TG Higher Secondary School said that six classes were conducted today though more than half of the students did not come.

On being asked whether they did not feel any fear while coming to school, another student said that her mother suggested not to go to school in school uniform.

"Even though pursuing education is our right, we feel insecure in our minds", they conceded.

CC Higher Secondary School registered attendance of only 20 students today.

Nevertheless, four periods were reported conducted.

Comment