HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, Aug 20: The All Nagaland Private Schools Association
(ANPSA) has urged the Dimapur deputy commissioner to either
revoke or modify the order asking all schools under the district
to suspend physical classes from August 21 to August 26 due to
rising cases of conjunctivitis among school students.
The DC, in an order on August 19, following consultations with
the district officials of the health and family welfare
department and school education department, directed all
schools under Dimapur district to suspend physical classes for
six days from August 21 to contain the spread of the eye flu
among the school-going students.
In a letter to the DC, ANPSA (central) president Nini Sekhose
and general secretary PJ Nathan informed that as per the verbal
direction of Nagaland Board of Secondary Education (NBSE)
chairman, the ANPSA (central) had conducted a survey of
schools on the prevalence of eye flu among the students. The
letter said many of the schools reported that the infection was
present in their schools but not to an alarming extent while
some schools reported nil prevalence. As per the schools, only a
few students, about two or three, were absent on a daily basis
because of the disease, it said.
“There was no problem in continuing physical classes due to
this disease,” the ANPSA said.
“We have seen that though a few students get infected, they
recover fast, and therefore, there has been no significant
number of absentees in the schools due to the eye flu. We are
able to carry on physical classes taking care to adhere to the
recommendation of the health department in preventing the
flu,” it said.
The letter further said all the schools under the NBSE are now
in the process of conducting mid-term exams for Class 12 while
some schools are also conducting exams for lower classes.
It said if the schools in Dimapur are closed down for a week,
they will not be able to complete the exams in the given
timeframe thereby affecting the completion of the syllabus. It
added 99% of schools in the state are affiliated to NBSE.
It also pointed out that there are also all Catholic schools in the
state which come under the NBSE and that they have common
question papers for their schools. It will not be possible for
them to bring out another common question paper for
Dimapur district alone as the exams are slated to begin by
August 21, 2023.
In view of the above, the ANPSA requested the DC to allow the
schools to remain open voluntarily so that the exams can be
conducted uninterrupted.
