Inspection unveils shortfalls of govt institutions in Ukhrul
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ukhrul, April 04 2012:
The Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and William Pettigrew College-the state's only educational institutions in Ukhrul, are in a neck-deep crisis barely able to function in the absence basic facilities even as the state government has turned a blind eye.
On Wednesday, a joint team of HEC and HYF conducted a surprise inspection and found out multiple lacunae in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and William Pettigrew College.
"The two state-run educational institutions in Ukhrul district are barely functioning without basic facilities and manpower," HEC chairman Edmund Chiphang said during a separate interaction held with the institutional authorities and accompanying mediapersons.
Much to the chagrin of the visiting team, the ITI and William Pettigrew College were found almost deserted with just a handful of students and teaching staff seen in the campus.
In the ITI campus, not even a single student was seen and as many as four instructors were found present at around 11.30am.On being asked why the teaching staff are not on duty, Principal RS Shaiza replied, "They are being utilized in Imphal" .
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He also stated that it is difficult for the students to attend classes regularly as there are there no adequate practical kits and insufficient instructors.
At present, there are 91 students for 10 trades in Ukhrul ITI which is supposed to be manned by 23 instructors.
Moreover, the institute has been dogged by fund constraints and non-payment of salary to the staff and stipend to the trainees for months together.
Shaiza also informed that the girl hostel, which was recently constructed, has remained non-functional and even the required furniture are yet to be in place.
"The institute has not received any materials since 2008.In this regard, the government has been apprised a number of times but to no avail so far," he rued.
HEC and HYF also held a joint meeting with the authorities and student leaders of William Pettigrew College to discuss certain difficulties facing the institution.
"The main problem of the college is the irregular attendance of teaching staff.
There are times whenever the students turned for classes, the lecturers are not available," disclosed student's union general secretary Khanso Nakhedei.
The college authorities substantiated the statement made by the student's body.
Principal Dr.Ninghorla Zimik admitted that only one-fourth of the teaching staff are dutiful and the rest derelict in their duty. She stated that the college has a good building infrastructure, but rued lack certain basic requirements.
There are no adequate teaching staff, few books in the library and almost all the practical kits in science departments are non-functional.
HEC and HYF took note of the difficulties being faced by the institutions and assured to take the matter to the notice of higher authorities.
Expressing serious concern over the state of affairs in the only government-run college in Ukhrul, the visiting team urged the authorities for dutiful performance stating "the college benefits mostly to the students from economically disadvantageous families" .