A Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, APRIL 18
Established in the year 1951, the Dimapur Railway High School, which was once in bloom, is experiencing ugly days over the past few years with little or no developmental changes. The condition of the school is, as usual, showing its worst during the rainy season.
From thousands then to just a handful of students at present, the school comprise class-I to class-X. It has only 195 students at present and with just 9 teachers to run the entire school, officials of the Bengali Samaj said on Saturday. Members of the nongovernmental organization were present at the locked, flooded school.
The school is under the sponsorship of the North East Frontier Railways. The school is being maintained by the Bengali Samaj, a organization of the Bengali community in Dimapur.
During an interaction with Eastern Mirror, officials of the Samaj disclosed that even during the past few years, the school has had to go through lock-downs during the rainy season as the school was in no condition to hold back the rains and waters.
The school, though not progressing academically, is one of the oldest schools in the district.
The secretary of the Bengali Samaj of Dimapur, Pratip Barman, highlighted that the organization had approached the divisional authorities and the assistant division engineer of Nagaland for redress and help. However, they had turned ‘deaf and dumb’ with no initiative to offer development for the institution.
The members of the Samaj also underlined the fact that the students of the school pay monthly fees ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 as development fees. The pathetic condition of the school’s building and the compound proves the hard times it has been undergoing for years.
Officials of the Dimapur Municipal Council officials had also come to inspect the affected area said that the council will be making ‘temporary arrangements.’
Chief Executive Council of the council, Athoke, said that the municipal council plans to offer a proper drainage system for the locality in the days to come.
A disappointed alumnus
Going back to one’s old school is always a time for a former student to fondly reminiscence. Not so for this one alumnus though.
One such figure came in contact with his alma mater on Saturday who was seen taking pictures outside the old discoloured school gate.
, who had come to pay a visit to the school that has educated him decades ago, was more than dismayed to see the pathetic condition of the school.
Dr. Narayan, a doctor by profession, is settled and working at Kolkata.
Having graduated in the year 1968, Dr. Narayan recalled his yesteryears in the school which contradicted its present condition.
During the early years, the school was one of the best schools in Dimapur and even had two sessions and timings i.e., morning and evening. It had about 40 students in each class, he said. Dr. Narayan secured 11th rank from the Assam Board.
