IT News
Imphal, April 21:
In a coordinated effort to ensure continued education for children affected by ethnic unrest, the Zonal Education Office (ZEO) – Zone 1, Imphal West, in collaboration with Wide Angle and CRY (Child Rights and You), launched a distribution drive of educational materials across 15 relief camps in Imphal West district on Sunday.
The initiative, led by Sucheta Kumukcham, ZEO of Zone 1 – Imphal West, is aimed at supporting 1,330 children currently residing in these relief camps. These children have been among the thousands displaced following the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023, which forced over 60,000 people from their homes.
The distribution event was flagged off from the Directorate of School Education, Lamphelpat, by Bisheshwar Khumukcham, Additional Director of Education (Schools/Valley) and Nodal Officer of relief camps in Zone 1. He was joined by Anil Khumukcham and Kenedy Sapam, D.I. of Schools.
According to Montu Ahanthem, Secretary of Wide Angle, the relief camps benefiting from this initiative include locations in Thangmeiband, Lamboikhongnangkhong, Meitei Langol, Khuyathong, Thangmeiband Thingel, Langol Game Village Zone-III, Lamsang, Phumlou, Phayeng, Khurkhul, Sagoltongba, Konthoujam, New Keithelmanbi, and Senjam Chirang. These include camps set up in schools, community halls, and housing complexes.
While the Department of Education continues to provide educational support in these camps, Wide Angle is supplementing those efforts with additional activities aimed at enriching the children’s learning experience. “Education is a right, not a privilege, even in times of conflict,” Montu Ahanthem stated, underlining the importance of such initiatives.
