Canchipur High School dying under MU shadow
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Bijoy Laishram

Imphal, June 20 2012: The one time splendid Canchipur High School, which had produced many officers and well known personalities, is now dying slowly under the shadow of Manipur University even though the government is putting many efforts to develop the education system and encourage students to study in government schools.

Students from as far as Singjamei, Lilong, Thongju, Langthabal and Keirao used to study in this school, which is located inside the campus of the Manipur University.

However, construction of high boundary wall of the University and sprouting up of many private schools in the surrounding area, has given a hard blow to the existence of the school.

The school has now less than 100 students as compared to more than 1000 students before a decade ago.

In an exclusive interview with Hueiyen Lanpao, Head Master in-charge of the school, Huidrom Jilla told that the school was established in 1937.It had splendid record in imparting education with the numbers of students enrolled reaching 1000, if not more, throughout its history.

But now it has only 66 students in Class III to X.The school has 29 teachers, but it lacks one English teacher since no substitute has been sent after the earlier teacher was transferred to Johnstone Higher Secondary School.

Jilla pointed out that the main reason behind the decrease in student enrolment is the campus fencing of the Manipur University and blocking of other smaller gates which used to be there earlier at the Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern sides.

In order to regain the lost splendor of the school, the MU authority should open the small gates on all four directions and close them after school hours so that students from surrounding areas could have easy access to the school, he maintained.

Jilla further informed that two classrooms, one Science Laboratory room, one Computer room and one Crafts room for the school have been constructed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

Students of the school studying in class III to VIII are being provided free textbooks, uniforms, mid day meal regularly as per the guidelines of SSA and RMSA.

Moreover, teachers are also contributing funds from their salaries for the welfare of the students.

The assembly ground of the school also needs leveling as it is often flooded during rainy season, he noted.

Parents of the students have also expressed their desire for upgradation of the high school to Higher Secondary School so that students from the surrounding area could conveniently pursue their further study in the school since other government higher secondary schools are located far away.

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