Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 08 2009:
The Mongkot Chepu Government High School having seven rooms have been blown over by a strong wind.
Mongkot Chepu is a village located near Litan in Ukhrul district.
The school building was already in dilapidated condition.
The gale that blew over the school building also damaged 50 desks, 50 benches, seven black-boards, 10 tables and an equal number of chairs.
The school building had classrooms for class Nursery to class VI.
More than 100 students were attending the school everyday.
A strong wind swept the area at about 11.30 am yesterday during school hours.
Luckily, there was no casualty to students or teachers as the school authority declared holiday yesterday.
Had there been regular classes as usual, a large number of students would have suffered terrible casualty or death, the villagers said.
Mongkot Chepu village chief L Letthang Khongsai said that there was no response from the Government to the repeated appeals made to the Chief Minister, Education Minister and local MLA D Shaiza to rebuild the 40 years old school building anew.
The village chief asked where the students should have their classes on Monday though today was holiday being Sunday.
The Mongkot Chepu Government High School is the only school for several Kuki villages like Mongkot Chepu, Litan Sareikhong, Leingangching, Jaolen, TN Kasom, Sangkai, Shikibung, Lamlai Chingphei, Jallenbung etc.
The school has no Headmaster.
A senior teacher has been acting as Headmaster on look after basis under the ZEO.
Despite not having adequate furniture, the school having more than 200 students at present, has produced many students in first class.
However, plagued by absence of a full-fledged Headmaster, the school has been unable to produce students in first class for the last two years, the village chief noted.
Claiming that the school had produced some successful individuals, the village chief mentioned that Saitu A/C MLA Doukhomang Khongsai and TD Director Z Solomon were students of the school.