Manipur: 'School on Wheels' launched for children staying in relief camps

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Imphal, May 5 (IANS) Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Sunday launched the "School on Wheels" initiative aiming to impart education to students sheltered in relief camps in the state in view of over a year-long ethnic violence.

The school bus, equipped with a library, computers, and sports items, would visit different camps accompanied by a teacher.

The Governor after launching the pioneering initiative at Bal Vidya Mandir Complex in Imphal said that the incidents which started on May 3 last year affected thousands of people, especially huge number of students of Manipur.

"The 'School on Wheels' scheme would reach out to students staying in the relief camps and impart them with required teaching," she said.

Noting that she understands the pain and sorrow of the displaced persons, Uikey told the gathering that she had already discussed with the Chief Minister (N. Biren Singh) and Chief Secretary (Vineet Joshi) to initiate a process for permanent settlement of the displaced people staying in relief camps.

She said that the "School on Wheels" initiative is being implemented by Vidya Bharati's Shiksha Vikash Samiti, which decided that children living in relief camps should not face any kind of problem in their academic aspects.

The Manipur government currently runs around 320 relief camps, housing more than 59,000 men, women, and children.

Around 18,000 students are currently staying in relief camps.

After the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year, over 70,000 people, including women and children, of both the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities were displaced from their homes and villages and took shelter in safer places in different districts of Manipur and outside the state, including neighbouring Mizoram.

--IANS

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