Joy amidst challenges at GMS Dimapur Town’s first funfair

DIMAPUR — In a bid to strengthen ties between students, parents, and the local community, Government Middle School (GMS) Dimapur Town — one of the oldest government-run middle schools in Nagaland — organised its first annual community funfair, ‘Aurora 2025’, on Tuesday at the school premises on the theme ‘School, family, community – one team’.

Believed to be the first event of its kind in a government school, the funfair featured a range of activities and stalls where students sold handmade crafts, crochet items, bags, and jewellery — products they had learnt to make during extracurricular sessions at school. Sponsored by the School Management Committee (SMC), the day-long event drew enthusiastic participation from students, parents, and residents of United Colony, reflecting the school’s growing engagement with its community.

Head teacher Tokito Swu said the funfair would now be organised annually. During the formal session, he urged parents to work hand in hand with teachers to nurture children into “positive contributors” for society.

“Parents alone or the teachers alone cannot bring up the children,” he said.

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SMC member Martoshi Lemtur, in his address, remarked that the education system has evolved and is no longer confined to classroom learning. “Education is important, but to educate is more important,” he said, encouraging students to strive for all-round development through both academic and extracurricular activities.

Established in 1942 with the motto ‘Aspire & Achieve’, GMS Dimapur Town began as a Lower Primary school before being upgraded to Class 5 in 1987 and later to a middle school between 2011 and 2013. Today, it stands as the oldest government-run middle school in Dimapur and one of the oldest in Nagaland, with 665 students — the highest among all GMS in the state — and 31 teachers working from pre-primary level to Class 8.

Over its 80-year journey, the school has achieved numerous milestones. It has produced toppers in the Class 5 Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC) examination conducted by the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), while several students have represented the state in national-level sporting events.

The school was also recognised among the best-performing institutions at the Project-Based Learning (PBL) Mela held on October 17 this year, where more than 70 government schools participated.

Despite these achievements, the school continues to face serious infrastructural challenges.

Swu told Eastern Mirror that the school had to remain closed for more than 30 working days this year during the monsoon season due to flooding. “Every year, the pre-primary classes are severely affected by flood, compelling the school to give holidays for weeks,” he said. Even after the rains, five classrooms remain in unusable condition.

In 2021, a retaining wall was built around the drainage area near the school to improve safety with the help of the local community. However, recurring floods continue to disrupt academic activities.

The head teacher also highlighted the school’s ongoing efforts to provide vocational training to students despite not having a full-time vocational teacher.

“The students learn useful skills like basket weaving, knitting, paper bag making, soap making, and jewellery making,” said Swu, adding that in the absence of a dedicated instructor, teachers themselves conduct the sessions with full dedication.

The school’s efforts have led to the creation of ‘Little Crafters’ — a small jewellery-making unit run by students. Swu said such activities not only help children gain practical skills but also build confidence and creativity.

The pre-primary section of the school is staffed with Montessori and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) trained teachers. Swu expressed pride in the teachers’ efforts and in the school’s close relationship with the community. “With the support of the SMC and parents, we are trying to improve every year,” he said.

Though its infrastructure has improved over the decades, floods and the lack of a full-time vocational teacher remain persistent obstacles. Yet, through initiatives like Aurora 2025, the school continues to find new ways to bring together its students, teachers, and community while reaffirming that its motto, ‘Aspire & Achieve’, still holds true after more than 80 years.