Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JULY 24
The students of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) Tizit were dumbfounded when they were informed that their school after summer vacation will not resume. Moreover, it will remain closed until there was a solution to the nagging problem of management facing the school.
Classes that should have resumed ten days ago July 14th remain closed.
On receiving information and complaints from parents Tizit Area Students Union (TASU) officials July 21st inspected the school and noticed that the building was in a dilapidated state without any fencing and toilet for girls breaking all rules of the model of EMRS infrastructure schools.
This may not justify the closure of the school but the absence of funds to administer the school had forced the administrators to take this extreme step.
It may be mentioned that a press release was issued in local dailies on July 9th where administrators of EMRS’s of Tuensang, Diphupar and Tizit had notified the closure of schools after the summer holidays until funds for maintenance of the schools were released. They also disclosed that the schools were running on credit which they could no no longer sustain.
“The funding pattern for Eklavya Model Residential School based on Navodaya Vidhyalaya model is fixed at Rs. 42,000/- per student per annum. But each student receives Rs. 1200/- monthly for mess fee and Rs. 1200/- each for uniform and books yearly which amounts to only Rs. 14,400/- against the fixed Rs. 42,000/- per annum” notified EMRS Principal Tizit and TASU President.
In a telephonic communiqué with Eastern Mirror, TASU President and EMRS Principal said that the salary of workers is due from March onwards. The school at times functions with contributions from the parents but how far can they continue to contribute ,they lamented.
Principal of EMRS disclosed that the administrators of EMRS’s from Tuensang, Tizit and Diphupar had a meting with the Department of Social Welfare at Kohima where they were assured that the funds will be released soon but till date no steps have been taken to mitigate the woes of students and parents. He also lamented issue is not featured in the ongoing budget session of the state.
“The state government should stop playing the blame game and release the fund at the earliest as the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had already sent the required funds for the three schools of Nagaland” stated the Principal.
Meanwhile TASU want to know where the fund has been diverted and expressed their displeasure over the system of the state government. They requested that the rights of every individual should be provided instead of grabbing it.
The administrators along with TASU and parents appealed to the concerned department to release the fund by the end of this month. Failing this they have reiterated that they will be forced to agitate and take their own course of action keeping in mind the welfare of students.
