Hurrah! Students of the Community Education Centre (CEC) showing victory signs with joy as they pose for a photograph during a break. (MExPix)
Karaiba Chawang
Dimapur | May 11
Sprouting out of the squalid ground of the famed Dimapur Railway Bazaar locality, the Community Education Centre (CEC) today bears many interesting traits.
It bloomed out of nowhere in 2001, when World Vision, an international organization decided to sow its humanitarian seeds for these children of a lesser God, with whom, even the ‘angels fear to mingle’. It assumed the form of a school after they got the school building and other infrastructures in 2004.
Even today, still in a nondescript place it would be hard to attract the attention of many, as it grows amongst underprivileged children.
Today, although it bears the many voices of the silent, it is already running into sustenance problems again. With the original benefactor, the World Vision, backing out of the guardianship since last September, the institution now resembles a gentleman with coat and tie, but lives famished.
This year, the number of students has touched 429, all from poor families. Although the government has not yet given recognition till date, the school has now class A to 6 and 13 teachers.
As the school run on financial crunch, the management has no alternative but to look for sponsorship from different families, kind individuals and organisations, said the Director of the School Subo Longkumar. Besides, they have to seek contribution from the students’ parents; however, even a quarter of students could meet their request, added Subo.
It is not so surprising, but last session, the school applied for free text books from the Education Minister School it was turned down on the ground that the school is not of the government. Also, the school has written again to the World Vision, but the latter has not responded so far.
The school also offers health delivery and promotional activities, nutritional supplement, child labour eradication programmes and awareness for parents on HIV/AIDS. Co-curricular activities like painting, handicrafts etc are also taught in the school.
Benevolent individuals and teachers, who now pay fees for about 20-30 students and some churches, who generously deal out necessary item for the children are the only grace.
The school stands in the most unsuitable environment. It is famed for all seedy activities: It is perhaps, the only declared red light area in the state. About 90% of the inhabitants live below poverty line with drug-dealers, alcohol, drug abusers and traffickers around; dumping area and very poor sanitation facilities, dropouts and unschooled children, and child labourers are the constituents
Started in open air, the school is now growing in where it should be. What shall we do for these giggly-care free hearts of a lesser God?
Morung Express News
