Dimapur, August 15 : Parents and guardians of students studying at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in Kiphire have opposed the proposal to shift the institution to Phek district. Some of the most compelling reasons for their opposition are resources, economic constraints and distance.
A copy of a representation addressed to the commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samati, in UP, was received here from the ‘Parents Committee’ on Saturday.
The JNV of Kiphire was established in the year 2006 and buildings of the state Industries department were utilized on the premise that it would be shifted after permanent structures and buildings had been constructed in the district, the representation stated.
“From 2006 till the time the school building was burned down on 9th April 2016 in spite of inconveniences the school was functioning satisfactorily even in a limited way and the educational needs of the students were being taken care of.”
According to the representation, “It was the burning down of one building structure in the campus on 9th April 2016 and the transferring out of the principal that has brought out issues which till then were somewhat manageable and taken care of and which has now showed the district and the institutions image in a negative reflection.”
The matter was also brought before the governor of Nagaland through the united Sangtam Students’ Conference, the committee stated.
“However, much to the dismay and shock of all concerned, a decision to shift the JNV Kiphire out was conveyed to us, in spite of so much contribution for welfare of the campus was done by all sections of society,” the guardians stated.
“It is also very disheartening to see that such decision was taken without any concerns of the students whose parents are from underprivileged section of the society and from one remotest locations and places even by the state’s standard.”
Another problem that the committee called ‘unimaginable’ was that “how many of the parents can travel to Zuketsa campus Phek which is hundreds of kilometres away; when it’s a struggle to travel few kilometres from their village to the district headquarter.”
To add to the woes of the parents and guardians, it stated, “It is inevitable that financial implications and diversion of meagre resources are involved which may force them to pull out of the JNV and disable the students from joining any school at all considering the school are at the later stage of the academic year.” Stating the difficulties, the parents and guardians have earnestly appealed for revocation of the decision to shift the JNV of Kiphire elsewhere.
