When ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, Churachandpur became one of the worstaffected hill districts. Thousands were displaced, homes destroyed, and families shattered. Over 4,000 schoolchildren from Churachandpur alone were forced to flee their villages, joining tens of thousands of displaced across the state.
Despite the state government’s efforts to readmit over 93% of displaced children into nearby schools free of cost, government schools were overwhelmed, with capacity limits and rising dropout risks
A New Dawn in 2024
In response, the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) launched an inspiring initiative: six community relief schools, starting in March 2024, chiefly in Tuibong, Churachandpur, and spreading to Sangaikot, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Kamjong districts
Branded the ‘Zero Dropout’ mission in late 2023, the programme enrolled around 2,110 displaced students, over 90 % of whom came from families who had lost their homes or loved ones in the clashes.
The flagship school in Tuibong opened with roughly 400 students, and within months enrollments climbed steadily as more IDP families joined.
Emotional Scars, Creative Healing
The trauma of displacement and violence left many children resistant to formal education. They drew, they doodled, often expressing fear and uncertainty. Many lacked motivation, struggling to settle into learning after the upheaval.
Teachers—15 across the network—went beyond textbooks. They built trust, counselled, and integrated traditional songs and community wisdom into lessons, helping KukiZo children reconnect with culture while soothing emotional wounds.
Education Without Borders: Competing with Private Schools
Although communityrun and supported mainly by local churches and donors, KSO schools quickly became comparable to private institutions in quality and discipline. Operating up to seventh standard, they prepared students for onward admission into class VIII at government schools, where several earlier cohorts are already studying and progressing academically
Despite small-scale funding—no formal salaries or stipends—the teachers see their work as a calling. Their aim: zero dropout, full integration, and nurturing hope. Over time, they’ve maintained zero dropouts across the network since the programme began.
Principal Sei Haokip and KSO leaders have pledged to sustain these schools for at least three years, aiming to normalise lives and learning through persistent instability.
As Manipur struggles towards stability, these relief schools are not just educational institutions—they are beacons of hope, emotional recovery, and intercommunity resilience.
In the face of conflict, politics, and displacement, the KSO’s relief schools in Churachandpur demonstrate how education, rooted in compassion and resilience, can restore normalcy and chart paths toward brighter futures.
