School doubles up as chicken coop
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 12, 2013:
In a stunning revelation, a school has been found being converted into a poultry coop while a teacher appended attendance signature even on Holidays and Sundays at another school.
This was brought to light during an inspection drive conducted by members of Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) today.
A team of DESAM volunteers led by its general secretary, Arambam Thoithoi found that Ch Chaoyaima High School located at Singjamei Bheigyabati Leikai has been turned into a chicken coop.
The inspecting team came across chickens being reared at a room by the chowkidar of the school.
Ironically, the teachers admitted their ignorance about the rearing of chickens in the class room.
13 students in class VI, 16 students in Class VII, two students in Class VIII, 7 students in Class IX and 6 students in Class X are registered in the school against 29 teachers.
However, only ten students are present during the inspection.
A chowkidar has been hired with a monthly payment of Rs 2000.At Radhe Primary School, Soibam Leikai Wangkhei Khunou, the DESAM volunteers came across four students being surrounded by teachers.
The team was told that around 16 students are admitted to the school.
It has eleven teachers with a cook.
As all of the students of the school are Manipuri Muslims, most of them did not attend classes on account of Id-ul-Fitr, the inspecting team was told by the teachers.
At Khurai Girls' HS, Lamlong Bazar, only a student and a teacher were found.
The teachers said that the school has 51 students against 20 teachers.
A teacher of the school was found to have appended signature on Holiday (Id-ul-Fitr) and Sunday.
Expressing serious concern over its finding, DESAM secretary Thoithoi said that teachers and students' strength in many schools are not proportionate.
While there are shortage of teachers in some schools that have many students, there are excess of teachers at some schools.
He said the Govt should transfer some teachers to schools where there are shortage of teachers.