The Mizoram government has enrolled children of refugees from Myanmar, who have taken shelter within the northeastern state after feeling from the country following a military coup, into local schools across the state.
Since Myanmar’s military coup in February, tens of thousands of Myanmar nationals have fled the country to flee the violent crackdown and brought refuge within the bordering states of India. Six Mizoram districts – Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual – share a 510 km long international border with Myanmar.
Around 400 children from Myanmar are admitted to different schools across the state, a minister told news organization PTI earlier this month.
Photos of refugee children studying at a government-run elementary school in Thingsai village of Hnahthial district in Mizoram were shared by local journalists recently. one in all the photos showed the youngsters holding placards saying “Thank You Mizoram” in English and Mizo languages.
State education minister Lalchhandama Ralte told PTI that the college Education had in end-August directed all district education officers and sub-divisional education officers to require necessary action to admit refugee children from Myanmar in local schools.
The decision was taken under the correct of kids to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. “Children aged between 6 and 14 years belonging to disadvantaged communities have the correct to be admitted to high school in an exceedingly class appropriate to his or her age for completing teaching,” a circular sent to education officers reads.
The initiative was taken “purely on humanitarian ground”, the minister had told agency PTI.
“Around 400 children from Myanmar are currently receiving education in both government and personal schools in several parts of Mizoram. Although they’re yet to be granted a refugee status by the Centre, the govt is providing education to them on humanitarian ground because the RTE Act doesn’t discriminate against children on a nationality basis,” Mr Ralte had said.
The education minister said arrangements are made as per necessity and possibility just in case the scholars face inconvenience and language problems in terms of medium of construction within the classrooms.
According to the officials of the Crime Investigation Department, which maintains the information of Myanmarese refugees, around 11,000 refugees, including about 20 legislators, have taken shelter in Mizoram’s 11 districts since March this year.
Apart from aid extended by organisations and individuals, the refugees go on self-support, officials said.
According to reports, a fresh refugee influx occurred in Mizoram because the Burmese government-in-exile, the National Unity Government, mixed up a country-wide uprising last week and clashed with the soldiers who undertook massive operations against the resistance forces.
In March this year, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga urged the centre to review its order to four Myanmar-bordering northeastern states asking them to forestall illegal immigration from the neighbouring country and ensure expeditious deportation. He said the people of his state, who share ethnic ties with the refugees from Chin communities, cannot remain indifferent to the plight of Myanmar refugees.
The Mizo National Front chief, in an exceedingly letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 18, had requested him to personally intervene within the come to provide asylum to political refugees on humanitarian grounds.
