DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 9 (MExN): The All Nagaland State Teacher’s Association (ANSTA) in a press statement has brought to notice the requisitioning of various Government Schools in the state for the accommodation of security personnel. The president of ANSTA, Ponchulo Wanth stated that the aforementioned situation is in violation of the Supreme Court order directing that “all teaching staff must only be put on duties of electoral revisions and election works on holidays and non-teaching days. They should not ordinarily be put on said duty on teaching days and within teaching hours”.
The association has brought to notice the Supreme Court’s verdict on December 6, 2007 stating that “holding of an election is no doubt of paramount importance but for that purpose, the education of children cannot be neglected”. The press note also stated that in line with the Supreme Court’s verdict, the utilization of teachers for election duties on a day to day basis has been stopped. This was done in order to not cause any hindrance to the functioning of educational institutions.
The press statement, however reads that Central Para Military Forces and the State Police have been using the Government School buildings under Order No ELE/SCRY/2013/586 for accommodation during the Election period. It stated that 11 Government schools under Kohima district have been requisitioned for the said purpose.
Ponchulo Wanth said that this would affect the educational process as schools would have to be closed for a week or two, given the long electoral process (training, polling, re-polling, counting etc). He further stated that this could even invite “court litigation” as it goes against the Supreme Court’s concern for the educational process.
The Association has therefore, appealed to the Election Commission and the District Administration to make an alternative arrangement for the said accommodation, so that school working days(s) may not be affected. This has been necessitated because of the fact that after the election, HSLC/HSSLC examinations are to be conducted from the schools and thus, academic session/ activity of the Exam Centre Schools will be hampered again during the examination period. The association added that if action is not taken, the present situation would result in the incompletion of courses and higher drop out rates.
