Sao Chang College issue: CWS’ 1st phase of agitation from today

October 12, 2023 34 Views No Comment

Tuensang, October 12 (MExN): The Chang Wedoshi Setshang (Chang Students’ Conference) has decided to initiate its 1st Phase of Agitation by shutting down the Sao Chang College (SCC), Tuensang from October 12 till its ‘Charter of Demands’ regarding the college are fulfilled.

In a notification regarding the agitation issued to the Deputy Commissioner Tuensang, the CWS informed that while the Department of Higher Education (DHE) has invited the Conference for a consultative meeting regarding its various demands on October 11, the DHE failed to give “any assurance or to solicit on our views regarding the concerned matter.”

Accordingly, the CWS has decided to initiate its 1st Phase of Agitation by shutting down the SCC from October 12 till the said demands are fulfilled, stated the notification appended by the CWS Vice President, Langasomba and Assistant General Secretary, C Khangyang

The CWS also informed that it has served a memorandum to the DHE stating its various demands regarding the college on September 9, 2023. An ultimatum was also served on September 26.

While the department responded on October 4, the CWS in a letter on the same day informed the DHE Director that its demands were not satisfied.

Consequently, the Conference requested the Department and concern authorities to immediately fulfill the needs and demands placed before by the Conference within 2 days October 4.

However, with no positive outcome despite meeting on October 11, the CWS took the decision to begin the 1st phase of agitation.

Charter of Demands
As per the September 9 Memorandum submitted by the CWS to DHE, its ‘Charter of Demands’ included:

Deployment of Principal: Stating that College has been functioning without principal for couple of years without a principal creating a lot of untold hardships in the functioning of the college administration, the CWS demanded immediate deployment of the institution head.

Shortages of Teaching and Non-Teaching staff: Despite being one of the oldest colleges in Nagaland with good student’ enrolment, the Conference contended that the SCC have been facing shortage of teaching faculty since inception. Despite several representations to the department pertaining to the issue, there are no positive responses, it maintained.

It further highlighted that there is immediate needs of teaching faculty in various departments in both Arts and Science streams including three assistant professors in English; two in Political Science; one in Economics; three in Mathematics; two each in Zoology and Physics; and one each in Botany and Chemistry.

The CWS also informed that the SCC is in ‘immediate need’ of an Assistant Liberian and Library Attendant.

Immediate allocation of college bus: The Conference further stated that while SCC is situated 7 kilometre away from Tuensang Town, there “untold hardship in attending the college “as there is only four “outdated” buses to cater to huge number of students (668) as well as faculties.

Hence, the immediate allocation of buses at Sao Chang College should be the most priority, it added.

Up-gradation of Science Laboratory: The CWS also stated that along with shortage of teaching faculty, the non-availability of laboratory equipment has resulted in non-provision of Honours subjects to deserving students. Accordingly, it demanded upgradation of science laboratory, more essential, as the introduction of NEP and CBCS has made opting for major paper a must for students.