The long ride to the learning centres beyond River Chathe

Henlly Phom
The next time you choose to whine about taking public transport to school, college or workplace along the potholed road in the scorching weather of Dimapur, you may perhaps want to put yourself in the shoes of the students, teachers and staff of the institutions beyond Chathe River. They have face more than an hour’s time of travel by taking the Patkai-Seithekima route to reach their centres of education after their usual route was cut off with the collapse of the bridge on the river at 4th Mile Dimapur on July 11, 2017.
Most parents say it is unsettling to see their children travel such a long distance daily while it is disheartening for the administration and teachers to see the students reach exhausted and not enthusiastic after the long ride.

It was only recently that the parents and administration of Hope Academy Dimapur took upon themselves to repair the road from Patkai area to Aoyim village for the convenience of students around the area that includes Great Commission Kids academy, Highland Hall School Dimapur, Hope Academy, C-Edge College, Vision Home Higher Secondary School, Bethel Baptist school, Government Middle School and Government High School.
Students adjust to new reality
The academic head of Hope Academy Dimapur Wapangmeren Ozüküm said students are adjusting to the new reality as the school has made an adjustment with the school timings and fortunate enough for the school to having two campuses; the school is split into two wherein those from the town areas are accommodated at the River Belt colony campus and those beyond Purana Bazar area are accommodated at the Naga United Village campus.
The academy which has around 800 students has changed the school timings with two shifts in the old campus for the convenience of both the students and the faculty. In the new campus the school timing is from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and for the old campus, the first shift starts from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and the second shift from 12.30 pm to 4 pm detailed Ozüküm while lamenting ‘the road to school is so near yet so far’.

The challenge is double for the teachers as they have to make the students comfortable after an exhausting long ride and to start with their lessons to the already tired students. Their only concern was of learning being held back because it’s like a gamble being undertaken to manage time with current schedules.
A lecturer of C-Edge College who used to have an easy ride to the college till the day the bridge collapsed now goes through a harrowing time daily. He is forced to change transportation thrice to reach the college which is also increasing his expenses.
It is a tasking time for the faculty too as they spend around two hours on the mostly bumpy road to reach the college and be ready to teach and mentor.
Then another two hours ride while returning home.
However, even with all the inconveniences the teachers acknowledged that the turnout of the students are encouraging in spite of the prevailing conditions.
The students of C-Edge College, in unison, talking about their daily travels to reach the college said although they have an exhausting time, it is all the more a learning experience for them on facing the harsh realities and helping them to be more mature. Setting aside their inconveniences, the college students were more concerned with the school children who have to bear the brunt of the long exhausting ride to the schools.
With no sign of any Bailey bridge work in progress even after state Chief Minister T.R.Zeliang’s direction to complete the Bailey bridge within two months, Principal of C-Edge College Dr. Chubatola Aier lamented that for a new concrete bridge it will take a minimum two years even with sincere efforts. On this note, Dr. Aier questioned the will of the state leaders while remarking how far the students, teachers and the community at large compromise at the cost of their education.
Dr. Aier also said that prior to the collapse of the bridge over Chathe River, two petitions were submitted to the district administration and the PWD (R&B) department on April and December 2016 for a temporary measure sensing the danger of the bridge. After the collapse of the bridge, an appeal for construction of Bailey bridge was submitted to the PWD (R&B) Minister.
However sensing less chances of positive outcome, Dr. Aier acknowledged that the school authorities in the area have requested the GOC 3 Corps Rangapahar Dimapur for emergency assistance under ‘Operation Shadbhavana’ for the students of educational institutions situated at Naga United village Dimapur.
“With everything collapsing around us, we have put in all possible efforts and will continue to build what is broken together” asserted the principal.
Suspension bridge construction underway
The Naga United Village Council, Old Showuba Village Council, Nehoto Village Council and Khehokhu Village Council have started the construction of the 90 metre suspension bridge over Chathe River. The work which started in the last week of July is estimated to be completed by end of August. The materials have been provided by the PWD (R&B) department while the labourers are being extended by the four village councils for free.
The whole community is adapting, while the students are settling into their new schedule with no other option but to make the hour long commute a part of their routine.