Some of the teachers preparing curtains for the quarantine centre at ITI Mon.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 24
A group of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers in Mon district have repainted stained walls, cleaned and fixed toilets, repaired broken windows and helped set up a government quarantine centre in Mon town to express solidarity with district authorities in COVID-19 response.
Working in collaboration with the Mon District Task Force for COVID-19 and other government agencies, on May 23, around 40 teachers under Nagaland SSA Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) Mon Unit undertook the task of cleaning up two buildings at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Mon town.
Speaking to The Morung Express, NSSTA Mon Unit President Joseph Hapwang informed that soon after the state government issued an order for schools to close down, SSA teachers numbering to over 200 in Mon district took a collective decision to provide their services for COVID-19 response. “However, before we could decide on what to do, many of us had to return to our places of posting in order to ensure that the learning for our students continue,” Hapwang said.
But it was when stranded citizens from other parts of the country began returning that the teachers found a way to help.
“We are cash strapped as we have not received salaries after February this year, but we observed that the district authorities did not have adequate workforce to handle the inflow of citizens and that is where those of us who were left in Mon decided to offer our services,” Hapwang said.
Soon enough, the teachers got in touch with the District Task Force and work began at the quarantine centre at ITI. Working in batches in order to accommodate those who had to work on providing notes to students, some of the teachers turned up with nails, brooms, ropes, plastic sheets and whatever could be used to patch up the classroom wing and hostel building. Some of the teachers also donated some cash which was used to procure curtains especially for girls’ rooms, Hapwang informed.
They also transported beds which were provided by Mon Medical Superintendent to the quarantine centre, making minor repairs wherever necessary. It was also informed that the Task Force provided disinfectants and other materials to be used during the clean up.
In addition to the teachers, there was also a team from the Mon Chamber Choir as well as Police personnel who cleaned up the surroundings of the centre and set up barricades.
Meanwhile, Mon SDO (C) Ilika Zhimomi informed that altogether 13 rooms at the ITI will be used to accommodate about 150-160 returnees. “The finishing touches have not been done but we will get to it once we get a final list of returnees,” she said.
“We would also like to encourage our fellow people to adhere with the government guidelines and stay at home unless there’s an emergency,” the teachers appealed. "We are waiting to complete the set up and welcome our brothers and sisters home.”
While the quarantine centres might not be as comfortable as our own homes, it has been prepared with much concern and effort and “We hope our returnees will happy to be here.”
