Students of Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School formed a human chain today in front of the school at Kongpal Kongkham Leikai, Porompat, pressing for the immediate introduction of Manipuri language as the medium of instruction in schools and colleges across the state.
Carrying placards and standing in solidarity, the students demanded that the State government implement provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates teaching in the mother tongue or local language from the foundational stage up to Class VIII.
Speaking to the media during the demonstration, Warish Akram, Joint Secretary of the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), Head Office, and in-charge of Imphal East District, said that the failure to implement NEP 2020 in Manipur has deeply affected students who wish to learn in their native language. He pointed out that the MSF had submitted a memorandum to the Governor on May 25, 2025, urging the government to enforce the policy in the state.
However, Akram said that despite repeated appeals, the issue has been neglected. He stressed that implementing mother-tongue education is not only a policy requirement but also vital for better comprehension, cultural preservation and academic growth.