Notice Issued To 11 Absentee School Staff

HT Bureau

DIPHU, Aug 24: Executive Member (EM), Education of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Richard Tokbi visited several schools in Karbi Anglong on Wednesday.

The EM on his visit to Samelangso High School found it closed. On enquiry it was found that the school authorities had declared an ‘unofficial’ holiday. The headmaster Mainuddin Ahmed who stays in the school quarters informed the EM that the school is closed due to Samelangso LAMPS election as some of the teachers are shareholders in the LAMPS.

The EM issued show-cause notices to 11 teaching and non-teaching staff of the school including the headmaster M Ahmed.

The EM also inspected the incomplete school building which is supposed to be completed and built by Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). The labourers present there said it will need one more year to complete it. The contractor is found to be one Kamal Jain of Diphu.

In the 2022 HSLC examination, out of 120 students that appeared from the school, 94 passed. 16 passed in first division, 45 in second and 33 in third division with a pass percentage of 78 percent. The Math and Science teacher’s post is vacant. Student enrollment is 242.

EM Tokbi also visited Jaipong High School with amalgamated ME and High School. One of the teachers informed that after the Covid-19 lockdown, the students of Class IX and X have not come to school fearing vaccination.

“There was an instruction from the government that Class X students have to be vaccinated and fearing this, students have not come to school. There are also students from remote areas like Binhum, Sarmen Rongphar and Rensing Kro villages. The students bring with them rice and vegetables and stay in rented accommodation. When rice and vegetables are over, they go home to get them but also stay back for 10 to 15 days. There are 112 students in the ME section and 97 in the high school section. The school has zero performance in the matric exam, 2022. Out of 17 that appeared, none passed,” the teacher added.

At Langlokso, the EM visited Rong Ar-eh ME School at Pinkhat Rongpi village, Langlokso. The EM interacted with the teachers and visited the classrooms. He found inadequate infrastructure. The water tank installed under Jal Jeevan Mission is not functional. There is a requirement for toilets for both boys and girls. At Rong Ar-eh LP nursery students used plastic stools for sitting.

Though the school lacked infrastructure, EM Tokbi was very happy with the children as they could speak English to tell their names.

“I am very happy to find small children in this remote place of Langlokso being so smart. I am happy to find out how these children without hesitation could speak English to tell their names,” he said.

There are 101 students with a single teacher, Shila Ronghangpi. Interestingly, the teacher Shila Ronghangpi had gone to attend a memorial programme in the village and has engaged her daughter and a youth to take the classes in her absence.

Coming down from Langlokso the EM also visited Nihang Rongphar ME School at Haberam Rongphar, Dokmoka. Though it is an ME school with Class VI to VIII, it is overcrowded with students. The enrollment is 397. The EM advised the teachers to clear the tall overgrown grass on the school campus