IT News
Imphal, April 2:
The Department of Education (Schools), Manipur, today organised the Awards Ceremony of “Incentive to Government School Students Who Excel in High School Leaving Certificate Examination and Higher Secondary Examination” for the year 2024-25. The event was held at the Auditorium of the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Palace Gate, Imphal.
Speaking as the Chief Guest of the function, Prashant Kumar Singh, IAS, Chief Secretary of Manipur, shared his personal experiences of attending school award ceremonies and spoke about the pride and joy parents feel when their children succeed. He mentioned the state’s incentive scheme, introduced in 2018, which provides financial support to top-performing students.
At the state level, the first to fourth position holders will receive Rs. 5,00,000, Rs. 4,00,000, Rs. 3,00,000, and Rs. 1,00,000, respectively, he said and added that for district level, students securing at least 70% marks will receive Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 for first and second positions. He also acknowledged students from remote districts who joined the event via video conference and congratulated all 58 awardees, including 47 attending in person and 11 virtually.
He praised the 58 awardees, especially the 45 students from schools listed under the School Fagathansi Mission, a government initiative aimed at strengthening the education sector. He recognized their dedication and hard work and pointed out about the impact of government initiatives in improving government schools. Their achievements, he said, show that students from all backgrounds are striving for academic excellence.
Prashant Kumar Singh also commended the role of teachers and education officials in guiding students and shaping future leaders. He encouraged students to ask “how” and “why” to deepen their understanding and develop critical thinking. He assured that the government is working to improve the education system and bring government schools on par with private institutions.
In his address, N. Praveen Singh, IAS, Secretary (Education/S), Government of Manipur, stated that the cash incentive scheme was introduced in 2018 to support students in government schools who achieve high marks in Class 10 and 12 examinations. He mentioned that with the introduction of the grading system in the High School Leaving Certificate Examination (HSLCE) from 2024, the incentive will now be awarded only to Class 12 students. He noted that most students in government schools come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and maintained that the scheme was designed to provide financial assistance to support their education and motivate them to excel academically.
Ng. Bhogendra Meitei, MCS, Director of Education (S), Manipur, pointed out that Manipur currently has 1,921 government schools but faces a significant shortage of teachers, with only 51.96% of the required teaching staff in place. He further noted that 382 schools operate with only a single teacher, despite having enrolments of less than 10 or sometimes 15 to 20 students. Among these, 316 fall under the Education (Schools) Department, 26 under Tribal Affairs & Hills, and 40 are government-aided institutions. Additionally, the Samagra Shiksha initiative is supporting 2,902 schools across the state, he mentioned.
The Incentive Award Ceremony honored five State Awardees: Aiena Naorem of Kakching Higher Secondary School, who secured 1st position in Commerce stream and 4 students of T.G Higher Secondary School namely Sapam Langlel Chanu, who clinched 2nd position in Arts; Khwairakpam Crosia Devi, who bagged 10th position in Arts; Kethallina Maisnam, who secured 2nd position in Commerce; and Khwairakpam Jenita Devi, who achieved 5th position in Commerce. Additionally, 58 District Awardees were recognized, with 47 receiving their awards at the main event and 11 joining virtually.
The event was attended by Bineshwar Khumukcham, MCS, Additional Director of Education (S/Valley); Dangmei Manglem, MCS, Additional Director of Education (S/Hills); along with students, parents among others.
