HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Aug 26: Bahbari Primary Bodo Sahitya Sabha and the
West Tezpur Anchalick ABSU have strongly opposed the
education department’s move to merge three Bodo Medium LP
schools in Bahbari-Bandarmari area under Balipara Education
Block in Sonitpur district with other distanced Assamese
medium schools.
The duo Bodo organisations have mentioned that in an order
issued by the office of the director of elementary education,
government of Assam it was notified that the three Bodo
medium LP schools including Purani Ghatua LP School, No-1
Samukia LP School and Borson LP School have been merged to
other schools despite having sufficient enrolment.
The organisations have already approached the DEEO, Sonitpur,
central committee ABSU and Bodo Sahitya asking for their
intervention in the process.
Alleging it is a gross violation of right to education act-
2009, adviser of Bahbari Primary Bodo Sahitya Sabha
Sidheswar Rabha and ABSU activist Jiku Bodosa and Rupjyoti
Boro respectively mentioned that the process has allegedly
hurt the sentiment of the common Bodo populace, since these
primary level academic institutions have been playing a pivotal
role in the field of development of education, language, culture,
tradition and heritages of the Bodo people of the greater area.
“More importantly, dating back this mentioned schools that
came into being during the seventies have till date produced a
number of brilliant products reflecting the educational, cultural,
ethnic and socio-economic development of the Bodo people of
the greater area.” They reiterated that the government’s move
to abolish these ethnically, educationally, historically and
linguistically vital institutions by means of merging of these
schools has led the common Bodo masses of the greater area
into an awkward situation. Urging the government to refrain
from this move the trio social workers also stated that as per
the Right to Education Act no LP school could be merged with a
school with more than one km. distance and other medium
schools. However, No-1 Samukia and Purani Ghatua LP Schools
are being merged with Bandarmari LP school which is an
Assamese medium school and about two km away from both
the schools.
Likewise the Borson LP School is also being merged with
Khansubari LP School witnessing distance of more than 1 km
leading the children and their parents into an awkward
situation. The common Bodo people of the area and the
mentioned Bodo organisations have now urged the
government to reconsider the issue.
