Students, teachers protest bomb threat
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, November 07 2024:
Hundreds of students and teachers from government and private schools and educational institutions in the town staged a sit-in in front of Ukhrul ZEO campus on Thursday, to register their protest against the Wednesday bomb threat at the education department.
Speaking at the protest venue, Ukhrul Higher Secondary School principal Josiah Suirangwo affirmed that all the educational institutions, schools and colleges in Ukhrul stand behind the ZEO staffers in condemning the heinous, dastardly act of planting a bomb at the office yesterday.
"Education is the backbone, the brain and heart to take forward our society.
So, we want a peaceful atmosphere in the education zone and we appeal to the authorities concerned to book the culprits to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future," he pleaded, while appealing for installation of CCTVs at the office and in all schools across the town.
Suirangwo also urged all groups not to repeat such acts and appealed to the public to ensure peace in the education zone.
"If there's peace, students could pursue their studies without any fear," he said and noted that instead of sitting in the classrooms and learning, students came out in solidarity with the education department to condemn the threat" .
Joining the protest, students also voiced their concerns over the growing threat to education.
"The ZEO office is the heart of education and attacking it is not the right thing.
We call upon all right thinking people to come together and condemn it," said Lummila Wungkhai, a BA IV semester Political Science student from Pettigrew College.
"It's shocking to learn that such things happened to the education office," stated Sopei Vashum, a BA IV semester English student of St Joseph College, adding that planting bombs and deriding education is akin to stalling our own growth as a society.
The students held banners inscribed with "Sit-in Protest Against Bomb Threat at ZEO Ukhrul", and placards reading "Stop the fear, secure our education", "Fear tactics don't belong here", "Together against terror", and others as they staged a silent sit-in.
The protest was also joined by representatives from Thawaijao Hungpung Young Students' Organisation (THYSO) and Hunphun Katamnao Long (HKL) .
It may be mentioned here that a hand grenade was discovered inside the ZEO Ukhrul campus on Wednesday morning.
No group has claimed responsibility for the act, even as Ukhrul police has registered a case and investigation is on.
Meanwhile, the Association of Recognised Schools Ukhrul District (ARSUD) has strongly condemned the act of planting a bomb in the premises of the ZEO office, Ukhrul, stating that the office is the powerhouse of education of the district, the guide and the mentor to all the educational institutions.
"This threat against education is a threat against the progress of the society.
Education is the backbone and the channel to usher growth, prosperity and survival of a Nation.
Nobody should dare to destroy our own future," said ARSUD president Yarmi Kashung in a statement.
He said that on that fateful day, an Orientation programme on APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) under NEP 2020 initiated by ZEO, Ukhrul was supposed to be held for all the school heads, teacher in-charges and other officials from the ZEO/Education Department.
Due to the timely spotting of the bomb, many lives had been saved from any potential casualties, he pointed out.
He said the ARSUD on behalf of all the school fraternity representing all the teachers and students voiced to all the citizens to make educational offices/institutions a free and safe zone.
Despite all other issues within the society, learning must not be disrupted from any quarters.
"We also call upon authorities concerned to ensure educational offices and institutions free and safe zones in our land," he added.
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