Mizoram govt fails to provide adequate educational institution, says Mizoram Chakma Students' Union

via Mizo News on June 17, 2014

Mizoram Chakma Students' Union members take part in the protest rally in Kamalanagar, Chawngte, Mizoram on June 13, 2014.

Kamalanagar: Mizoram may take pride in being the third highest literate state in the country. However, hundreds of students have been deprived off educational facilities every year at the remote Chakma town of Kamalanagar.

The issue has become gravely serious when hundreds of students could not secure admission in the lone Government Kamalanagar Higher Secondary School this year.

According to the Mizoram Chakma Students’ Union, the Principal had rejected the admission of more than 114 students citing inadequate infrastructure.

“More than 400 students passed out HSLC in this academic year only in CADC area. The lone Govt. Kamalanagar Higher Secondary School has to cater to Chawngte ‘L’ and Chawngte ‘P’ town of Lunglei District and LADC area as well,” they said.

To press their demand the students community lead by Mizoram Chakma Students’ Union met the local MLA and other political leaders along with the Principal of GKHSS on 12th May 2014, however without any solution. Thousands of students marched in ‘Mass Peace Procession’ on 23rd May, 2014 and subsequently, submitted a petition to the Hon’ble Minister i/c School & Education etc. Govt. of Mizoram on 23rd May 2014 to resolve the problem immediately.

Seeing no positive response, the most prominent Chakma students’ Organisation MCSU called for an all NGOs joint meeting held on 8th June, 2014 and formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to pursue the students’ demand. The MCSU lead JAC has called for a 1 (one) day Kamalanagar Total Bandh on 13th June 2014 to make their demand heard by the authority.

“The bandh was successful with the strong support from Branch YMA of Chawngte ‘L’ and Branch YMA/YLA of Chawngte ‘P’ whose area children are also suffering due to the inadequate institution for Higher Secondary education. Even the village councils of Chawngte area came forward to support the total Bandh,” the student body said.

Chawngte area is home to more than 100 villages with 60,000 plus population who seek higher education at Kamalanagar. With the successful Bandh, MCSU hope that the state Govt. will hear the students cry and provide immediate solution so that the deprived students could continue their studies and contribute towards Mizoram progress.