Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 10, 2009:
Even as there is a full-fledged government high school at Kasom Khullen, the students who study in the school have been charged monthly fee of Rs 500 each like in private institutions.
The matter was encountered during the recent tour conducted by the Information Centre for Hill Areas of Manipur (ICHAM) and Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (TAKL) along with a team of media persons in Kasom Khullen subdivision of Ukhrul district.
Interacting with the team members, the headmaster of the Kasom Khullen High School, K Khangam said the school has been run like a public-private partnership.
A village education committee has been formed with the participation of the Church and the villagers.
He said the matter has been adopted in order to provide better education to the village children and its surrounding villages.
He said the school has only nine regularised teachers.
The school committee has appointed 12 more teachers with assistance from the NGO, World Vision.
To lend a hand in the management of the additional teachers, the students are charged fees.
Khangam said, the success of the venture could be witnessed as 12 out of 12 students from the school have passed the HSLC examination, 2009 in first division.
The village schoolmaster said, as a full-fledged high school, the school needs 7 science teachers and 7 arts teachers.
But the government has never paid heed to the demand for the appointment of more teachers in the school.
Khangam proudly claimed that the school � which has around 307 students � has enlightened the village children with the efforts and cooperation of the villagers in their attempt to bring education to the area.
It has also been learnt that the school had, once, earned a name for having more teachers than the students.
But now the school has that reputation of being a name worth reckoning.
"The late Dr Kishan, who was the SDO of the subdivision, had greatly contributed towards this end," K Khangam acknowledged.
On the flip side, the Kasom Khullen High School has many lacks including material infrastructures.
Though the school has over 300 students, the government has sanctioned midday meal for only 96 students.
The headmaster draws the attention of the government authority in this regard.