KSO Saikul serves ultimatum to State Government on closure of school
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, July 24 2018: In what could be termed as a 'mockery' to the State Education Department, a Government high school at Molkon in Saikul sub-division of Kangpokpi District has to be closed owing to lack of teachers which was triggered by utilization of insufficient teachers of the school somewhere outside Saikul subdivision.

According to data provided by the office of Deputy Inspector of Schools Saikul to KSO Saikul in February 2018, there are about 57 schools under its ambit where 309 teachers' posts were sanctioned.

Out of which only 254 posts were occupied while the other 55 sanctioned posts are yet to be filled.

Out of the occupied 254 posts, only 199 posts have been actually working since a total of 50 teachers were utilized outside Saikul sub-division.

Surprisingly, out of the 57 schools under Deputy Inspector of Schools Saikul, 11 schools namely, Lhangsom P/S, Gampum P/S, Phaikon P/ S, T Thangkan P/S, Ekouphai P/S, Ngakhapat P/S, P Khonomphal P/S, Maibung Likli P/S, Govajang P/S, Kamu Koireng P/S and Nungkot Kom P/S have neither any sanctioned posts nor teachers while 3 schools, namely, Bungpi P/S, Jalenbung P/S and Sadang P/ S have sanctioned post of teachers but no teachers have been posted till date.

Interestingly, no schools under Deputy Inspector of Schools, Saikul has regular Headmaster or Headmistress till today.

Moreover, the 57 schools were instead looked after by the teachers who are entrusted under some internal arrangement as in-charge Headmaster/Headmistress without any remuneration or allowances.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Students' Organization Saikul Gamkai visited Thangtong Government Higher Secondary School and Molkon High School yesterday to assess the way the schools have been functioning.

KSO Saikul Gamkai expressed their resentment at the alleged insincerity of school teachers of Thangtong Govt Hr Sec School, Saikul in discharging their duties without considering the career and future of the student community.

Lamgouthang Chongloi, president, KSO Saikul said that newly appointed Headmaster of Thangtong Govt Hr Sec School, S Rajendra of Wangkhei Koijam Leikai, Imphal is yet to join at his new place of posting even more than one month has passed from the date of his posting order while adding that the former Headmaster left the school on June 7, 2018 .

He also said that Lecturers of History, Political Science and Geography were also found not performing their duties regularly and warned that the student body will be compelled to expose their names if they fail to attend their classes with immediate effect.

When KSO Saikul visited Molkon High School located in between Molkon Bazar and Molkon village, the students were seen holding placards and protesting in front of the school over acute shortage of teachers in the school while closing down the school demanding adequate teachers as well as computer facilities and its teachers.

Hundreds of the agitating students held placards, which read as, "Give us sufficient teachers", "We want teachers", "We want education", "Give us what we want/needs", "School closed due to shortage of teachers", "Is this the beauty of BJP", "No teachers No Schooling", etc.

The school has been upgraded to a High School in 2015 while the construction of building was completed in 2017 under RMSA.

The academic session of the high school begins this year with insufficient teachers, rooms, infrastructures, he added.

The Headmaster who is in-charge of Molkon High School came all the way from Thingphai village, located about 20 Kms away from Molkon and is now staying at Molkon in a rented house to look after the school.

He was awarded the 'Best Teacher' in Saikul sub-division recently by CSOs Saikul for his sincerity and dedication for the welfare of the student community.

According to the school Headmaster, out of 16 sanctioned posts for teachers, 12 were occupied but 6 teachers were utilized outside the school leaving the school with only 6 teachers and unfortunately out of the 6 actual working teachers ,one teacher had expired.

Speaking to media persons, Lamgouthang Chongloi, KSO Saikul president said that when some Junior High Schools under Deputy Inspector of Schools Saikul including Molkon Jr High School were upgraded to High Schools, it gave extreme happiness to the people.

However, utilization of teachers has caused shortage of teachers in the schools while rendering all sincere efforts to promote Government schools in the area futile, he added.

He continued that the student body considered the protest of Molkon High School students very genuine and decided to pursue the issue in the larger interest of all schools and student community of Saikul sub-division.

He said that the Government must take the matter seriously and address the grievances of the student community at the earliest while issuing instruction to the utilized teachers to join their respective places of posting within this month.

The student body also urged the State Government to provide sufficient infrastructures including benches, desks, black & white boards in all the schools and fill-in the vacant posts within this month.

It also warned that if the demands are not met within the stipulated time, more schools will be closed as there are many other schools in Saikul Sub Division which are in such condition similar to Molkon High School while cautioning the authority concerned that intense agitation will be initiated in collaboration with KSO Saikul in Kangpokpi District.

KSO Saikul also said that there around 123 school dropout children which were enrolled by their parents at Kamuching High School with a hope of acquiring basic education but their hope were dashed due to utilization of 5 teachers of the school outside the school.

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