Morung Express News
Dimapur |September 12
Confusion is rife among the public of Kiusam area of Kiphire with the fate of Kuisam Government Middle School hanging in uncertainty. A copy of a representation submitted to the Director of School Education, Kohima by the Chairman of Town Education Committee (TEC), TA Shilim Tikhir made available to the press, wherein it was stated that there was not a single graduate teacher or even a matriculate teacher in station. The teachers are said to have been transferred along with the school Headmaster, Khana Gogoi and according to local sources no teacher has replaced them.
The TEC is supposedly being made to run in circles with the Director of School Education informing them that the teacher and the Headmaster had been transferred out of the recommendation of MLA T Torechu and the Deputy Inspector of School (DIS), Shahoto Yimchunger. However on being approached, the MLA is said to have sent the TEC Chairman to the DIS who in turn attributed it to be a mistake on the part of the Director of School Education.
Ironically, on being contacted, the Directorate of School Education maintained that according to official reports furnished by the DIS Kiphire, there are supposed to be six graduate teachers in Kiusam GMS for the 41 students enrolled there. So where the six graduate teachers recorded in the official report are, is a question that remains a mystery as the DIS could not be contacted due to a ‘switched off’ mobile mode.
Local sources however confirmed the deplorable condition of the school which had been long neglected by the teachers. The people of Kiusam seemed to be unaware of the six graduate teachers in the GMS as they knew of only one graduate teacher who was now transferred along with the Headmaster. The people of the area claimed that they were uncertain whether it was a matter of ‘ghost teacher’ or if the no teacher had been assigned to the school. ENPO president, Chillio expressed doubt on the school being assigned with teachers while conveying displeasure at the government for the transfer when it was not in a position to offer a replacement.
Strangely the Kuisam area which lies towards the border of Tuensang, is affiliated under Kiphire district in the administrative aspect but politically it is under Tuensang, with S Heno as its sitting MLA. The area is said to have seven to eight villages with the Kiusam GMS as the only GMS around the area. The area is also said to be completely cut off from the rest of Kiphire with only a small insignificant bridge which disappears during monsoon.
In this connection, the Town Education Committee has demanded that the Kiusam GMS be exempted from the 2007-2008 class VIII Board Examination also stating that the Director should decide where the student of the particular school should be allowed to study with a teacher of their own. Also questioning MLA Torechu and the DIS, Kiphire on their hidden agenda, the TEC said that the duo would be held responsible if the life of the students was destroyed. The Committee also lashed out on their sitting MLA S Heno saying that he was hidden for the last five years and demanded to know where he was. The Education Committee has demanded a minimum of two Arts Graduate Teachers, two science graduate teachers and two matriculate teachers to be posted to GMS Kiusam on or before September 30 failing which the decision of the Director of the school would be expected.
