Imphal, November 15 2009: Around four lakh students of different stages ranging from primary level to college have been deprived of education in the aftermath of the July 23 twin killings.

Around 3,59,395 school students between primary level to higher secondary level and another 20,000 college students have been staying away from their educational institutions.

The first figure includes around 27,000 class X students and around 19,000 class XII students who would be appearing in the crucial Board and Council exams of 2009-10 .

Much before the class boycott called by the AMSU, MSF and KSA, formal education have been disrupted in the valley districts since the month of August following the strong protest movements launched under the stewardship of the Apunba Lup and the counter measures like curfew taken up by the Government.

But after the influential student organisations, namely AMSU, MSF and KSA launched the indefinite class boycott agitation from September 9 in support to the Apunba Lup's cause, education has been virtually put under siege in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Thoubal districts.

Worried over the prolonged deprivation of education to students, parents/guardians, teachers and school authorities started making fervent appeals to both the Govt and the agitating organisations to bring a solution to the impasse by late October.

Subsequently, the Government assured adequate security arrangement and asked school/college authorities to re-open schools/colleges from September 9 .

In response many schools/colleges which hitherto remained closed re-opened but attendance of students is still dismally low.

According to a data released by the Directorate of Education (S) in 2007-08, there are 40,938 students of higher secondary level in the four valley districts.

Out of these, 10,549 are students of Government Higher Secondary Schools while 30,389 are students of recognised private Higher Secondary Schools.

As per the same data, 21,018 students are reading in Government High Schools, 13, 439 students in aided high schools, 1,15,379 students in recognised private high schools, 21,117 students in Govt Junior High Schools, 8,296 students in aided junior high schools and 47,755 students in recognised private Junior High Schools.

At primary level, 60,537 students are reading in Govt Primary Schools, 16,031 in aided schools and 14,885 in recognised primary schools.

Just like school students, students reading in colleges located in the valley districts have been denied education for the same period.

Students of Manipur University have also been abstaining from attending class in solidarity to the movement.

The AMSU, MSF and KSA launched the class boycott movement in support to the movement spearheaded by the Apunba Lup.

In line with the Apunba Lup's demand for justice against the July 23 twin killing, the student bodies have been demanding a concrete assurance to safeguard right to live in future.

Putting right to life above right to education, they took up the class boycott movement in protest against the killing spree allegedly unleashed by the Government.

Some students of TG Higher Secondary School conveyed deep anxiousness as vast portions of their syllabus are yet to be covered while COHSEM would be preparing to conduct class XII examination after three/four months.

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