Apprehensive parents opt for safety first measure, shy away from re-admitting children
Creaky school building keeps students away
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 19 2011: Apprehending collapse of the over 50-year old building of Moirang Boys junior High School at Moirang Mairenbam Leikai, parents/guardians of the students have reportedly pulled out their wards from the institution and have refused to re-admit them.

speaking to The Sangai Express today the School headmaster Moirangthem Lalmani said after its establishment in 1959 the school had appreciable number of students which consequently declined in subsequent years to record a low of only 40 students in the 2010 academic session.

The situation worsened as no student sought admission this year, he confessed while citing dilapidated condition of the school building, where walls made of wooden planks have fallen off and the roof is in danger of being blown off, as the chief factor.

The headmaster also contemplated that inconveniences caused to the students due to frequent inundation of the school campus during rainy season might be another reason for the parents unwilling to keep the students in the school any longer.

Claiming that service of some primary teachers and other staff members of a nearby primary level schools used to be utilised at the school, he disclosed that most of these 'hired' teachers do not attend class inspite of some recording their presence in the attendance register.

The worn out building of Moirang Junior High School at Mairenbam Leikai

Those who nevertheless report for duty, absence of students mean conversation for a few hours before returning to their respective homes, he informed while contending that intimation to Education Department authorities on the existing situation of the School has failed to evoke any positive response, till date.

Highlighting that the school is the only institution for students belonging to economically weak families residing in the floating huts of Ithing and surrounding areas of Loktak Lake, the headmaster expressed concern that future of these children, most of whom who used to study at the Junior School, is very bleak for their parents are not in a position to afford education at private schools.

In another revelation, he claimed of a contractor from Thanga forging his signature and withdrawing Rs 75,000 on November 11, 2008 as first phase bill for construction of a classroom in the Junior High School under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan programme.Contrary to non-completion of the classroom till date the same contractor again forged signature of the head-master to withdraw second phase bill amounting to Rs 1.50 lakh, Lalmani maintained.

President of Mairenbam Youth Development Club namely M Kumar, who also spoke to the Sangai Express recounted that the School used to have about 400 students in a single calendar year out of whom some went on to become doctors/engineers.

Expressing strong resentment that no attention is being given by the Government for development of the School, Kumar also lamented lack of initiative by the local representative to save the school from total decimation.