Aizawl, Sept 3: Children of refugees who fled away from Myanmar after the military coup and have taken shelter in Mizoram, can now be admitted to schools in the state. This decision was taken by Mizoram government and a notification has been issued. Government sources say this has been done on ‘humanitarian’ ground.
After a military coup started in Myanmar, many nationals from Myanmar fled to Mizoram to take shelter to save their lives. Many of Myanmar’s nationals are now living in refuge camps in Mizoram.
A circular, issued by the Directorate of School Education of Mizoram to all District Education Officers and Sub Divisional Educational Officers on Tuesday, requested officials to arrange for “admission to migrant/refugee children” in their respective jurisdictions so that they can “continue their schooling.”
The circular, signed by James Lalrinchhana, Director, Directorate of School Education, cited Chapter 2(4) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act0 2009) as the reason for the decision.
The letter stated that as per the Act, “Children aged between 6 to 14 years belonging to disadvantaged communities have the right to be admitted to school in a class appropriate to his or her age for completing elementary education.”
Mizoram’s decision to allow Myanmar refugees
Since March, after the military junta staged a coup in Myanmar, thousands of refugees from the Chin state have crossed over the border into Mizoram. While the Centre had ordered that borders be closed to Myanmar refugees, the Mizoram National Front (MNF) government, led by Zoramthanga, had welcomed them as fellow brethren, invoking a common tribal lineage and “deep ethnic bonds”
According to official sources, there are close to 10,000 Myanmar refugees staying in Mizoram, including about 20 Legislators that includes MPs as well.
