S Henlly Phom
Longleng, Mar 8
Haunted looking surroundings with old structures tell it all about the state of government schools in Longleng district in this hi-tech age. These government-run schools in the district have infrastructures of feebly maintained buildings, decaying classrooms and lack of sanitation facilities. Going by the conditions of these schools, it is apparent that the schools in the backward rural areas in the State are the most neglected lot. A visit to government schools under Longleng district by Easter Naga Students Federation on Day-II of its “Advocacy Tour on Wheel” to four Eastern Nagaland districts on March 7 has brought to light the state of these schools which are functioning with crumbled classrooms without windows and with poor classroom partitions, falling ceilings posing threat to students etc. The ENSF programme entered the third day on Saturdya.
Not only the students, the teaching faculties are also the victims of this poor infrastructure. Along with the students, teachers go through this misery as they shoulder the responsibility of imparting quality education and show results. But to teach under such infrastructure is a nightmare for them.
Established in 1972, Government Higher Secondary School Longleng, which is also the oldest school in Longleng district, is a perfect example of ‘negligence’. The old building of the school looks haunted from outside and the condition of the inside is no less.
A perfect picture of abandonment, the teaching faculties of the school who have been there for more than 15 years say that they have been continuing with “hope against hope”.
With no alternative, students are using the Science block, which has not been inaugurated yet, as class rooms from this year. So the teachers are in a dilemma as to what would happen once the classes for science students resume.
Sailing in the same boat is the Government High School Tamlu which is also under Longleng district. The school serves as a medium of education not only for students of Tamlu village but of neighboring villages as well.
Talking to Eastern Mirror, the teachers of the school lamented that condition of the school is worse than a ‘chicken coop’. With the donations from neighbouring villages they have been repairing the school almost every year, they said.
As per Right to Education (RTE) Act, students are to be provided with proper teaching environment and infrastructure apart from hygienic sanitation, meal and drinking water facilities. But, the parents, teachers or the students of these schools are not bothered about meal, water or proper sanitation. All the students ask for is proper school building where they can get the feeling of being in a classroom.
Interacting with Eastern Mirror, the students lamented that during rough weather, sometimes they have to overlook the condition of their school and sit in classrooms so that they can complete the syllabus. But when the condition does not permit then they are compelled to miss classes for a week or more which disturbs their routine.
