Manipur education minister Dr Thokchom Radheshyam on Wednesday said online classes have been started for postgraduate students of Dhanamanjuri University and the 6th semester students of Manipur Technical University (MTU).

Radheshyam on Wednesday informed that discussions are going on regarding the promotion of the students studying in Class XI to Class XII.

The Manipur education minister while highlighting the steps and measures taken by the state government to address the concerns arising of the shutdown of the educational institutions in the state due to the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID19.

“However, the final decisions will be taken by the State Cabinet,” said education minister Dr Radheshyam here.

He informed extra classes for students belonging to lower classes from Class I-XII will be conducted during the summer vacation to meet the loss occurred during the lockdown period.

The minister informed that classes in the Higher Education & Technical University have started through ZOOM App MOODLE – Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment.

He said, “The teachers are assigned to prepare study materials which will be provided to the students through online classes, e-mail and WhatsApp.”

Radheshyam said the students will also be allotted assignment topics for self study which will be submitted by the students through email and WhatsApp.

The minister appealed to the private schools not to charge fees to the students against the lockdown period and urged the private school authorities to pay salary to their teachers.

He said the department of education has issued links like DIKSHA, e-pathshala, NROER, SWAYAM and YouTube Channels of NIOS and CBSE from where study materials in e-contents can be availed.

Requesting the teachers to reach out to the students to mentor and guide them through telephone and other means of communication, he appealed to the students to visit online portals to search for study materials so that they can improve their weakness and share them among their peer groups.

He said the lockdown has provided the opportunity to re-live and re-learn values of human relationship, family and society.

“Time has come to educate our children with our great traditions and value systems by telling stories of great heroes who sacrificed their lives to serve our nation and people,” said Radheshyam.

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]