Landowner locks school building in Ighanumi

New school building of GHS Ighanumi locked by landowner.
 

Village council urges govt for early resolution of issue

Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 8

The students of Government High School, Ighanumi under Pughoboto subdivision of Zunheboto district have become the victims of a controversy between the landowner and the authorities. 

The landowner on whose land the new school building was constructed locked it on January 4, 2020 citing authorities’ failure to provide him or any of his family members a Grade-IV post. While setting up the present GHS in April 2010, it was reportedly agreed upon by the village council that the appointment of Grade-IV staff of the school, if vacancy arises, would be given to the land donors.

Subsequently, the landowner submitted an application against the resultant vacancy of a Grade-IV carpentry helper post to the Principal Director, School Education Nagaland. The village council also issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and recommended his candidature for appointment to the vacant post.

However, the department reportedly violated the agreement between the village council and the landowner, appointed a different person. The landowner was adamant that the GHS would not be allowed to hold its next academic session with effect from January 4, 2020.

 
More problems at GHS Ighanumi
Meanwhile, classes in GHS Ighanumi are being held in the old school building. According to the Secretary of the School Management & Development Committee Lovito Swu, with the new classrooms being locked by the landowner, there are not enough chairs and desks and most of the boards are locked up in the new building. 

 “We are somehow trying to run the classes in the old building which is really a problem for us,” Swu said.
He said that official documents, which need to be compiled and submitted to NBSE and students’ scholarship matters are pending as all such related documents are locked in the new school building.

So far, 82 students have been enrolled from Class V to X and admissions are still open.

While the school has 15 teachers along with one peon and chowkidar presently, we still require a language teacher, LDA, computer assistant, mathematics teacher, one more peon and a night chowkidar, Swu informed.

Ighanumi VC urges govt for early resolution of issue
Ighanumi Village Council wrote a letter to SDEO Pughoboto on February 17, 2020 for prompt intervention over the closure of the new building by the landowner.

“Even after verification done by the DEO office, Zunheboto, no directives have been issued till date. Hence proper classes have been hampered,” the letter stated.

Talking to media persons here today, Ighanumi Village Council Chairman Kihoi Swu made an appeal to the government to resolve the problem at the earliest in order to ensure smooth functioning of the school.

GB Kihoto Zhimomi said that they are not blaming the government for the present imbroglio but felt that the government should find an amicable solution. He viewed that accommodation of the landowner through Grave-IV post creation would be the best solution.

Also seeking the intervention of the higher authority, Ighanumi Students’ Union (ISU) President Kaqheto Zhimo said that GHS Ighanumi produced fruitful HSLC results from 2014 onwards and figured as one of the best performance schools among the GHS' under Zunheboto district.