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Members of Inner Wheel Club of Dimapur[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 20: A local club called the Inner Wheel Club, based in Dimapur district, has given a face-lift besides simple renovation works to a government middle school as part of the group’s project dubbed the ‘happy school.’
The club inaugurated on Friday its third ‘happy school’ government middle school at Lhomithi colony in Dimapur. Chandu Kumar Agarwal, a past district governor of the national committee of Rotary India Literacy Mission, was the chief guest of the event.
Addressing the gathering, Agarwal said that there was a need to do a lot to develop schools in the state. He pointed out that lack of separate toilet facilities was a major problem for the state’s institutions.
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Chandu Kumar Agarwal[/caption]
Agarwal said that the rate of female drop-outs had increased because of the absence of separate toilet facilities in the institutions. The club aims to provide such facilities in the institutions in order to reduce the drop-out rate among girls.
Saying that ‘schools are the temple of knowledge,’ Agarwal reminded that schools ought to be places where students can have a healthy environment. He urged the participants to take collective responsibility in maintaining the school.
Citing the example of the former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam who studied in a government middle school, the chief guest encouraged students to reach for greater heights.
Agarwal informed also that the club was hoping to convert more government schools into ‘happy schools.’
One of the club’s members, Asha Sharma, gave an overview of the concept of ‘happy school,’ the project. She spoke about the work been undertaken as part of the project. It includes whitewashing, installing hand-wash stations, replacing broken glasses, new blackboards, water tank facilities; bathrooms repair; books, sports equipments, and such. She said that the government schools should attract students by providing a congenial learning environment.
In his address Rotary Club’s president Vijay Sharma said, “Coming to school should be a thing of happiness.” He urged the students to take advantage of the opportunity and do well in their studies.
‘Maintaining the school and getting it forward from hereon is the most important thing,’ Sharma added. He told the teachers and the students to enjoy the benefits but take care of their institutions as much.
The head teacher of the ‘happy school government middle school,’ Tovili K Achumi expressed gratitude to the IWC for their initiative for the school. She hoped that the event would bring ‘something good’ for the future.
