Villages step up to upgrade GMS Yongkhao after government inaction

November 24, 2024 4 Views No Comment

MON, NOVEMBER 24 (MExN): In a move to address the deteriorating conditions of Government Middle School (GMS) Yongkhao under Mon district, the local community has decided to take matters into their own hands for upgrading the school amid alleged lack of support from the Department of School Education.

A press release received from the Yongkhao Village Council Chairman, A Maokheh Konyak informed that the school, which was severely damaged by a landslide in 2018 during the monsoon season, has been operating in a dilapidated building ever since.

Although appeals for restoration were made to the Department of School Education, no response has been forthcoming in the past six years. The dilapidated condition of the school, with inadequate classrooms and a shortage of teachers, has hindered its ability to expand and meet the growing educational needs of the community, the Chairman stated.

The Chairman maintained that the GMS Yongkhao has a high enrollment rate from Pre-Primary (PP) to Class 5. However, due to the lack of facilities and staff, the school has been unable to offer upper primary education. The three villages—Yongkhao, Eyeang, and Yongkhao Changlu—depend on this school for higher education, making the need for an upgrade even more urgent.

Frustrated by the lack of response from the authorities, the communities of Yongkhao, Eyeang, and Yongkhao Changlu, during a teacher-community meeting, resolved to upgrade the school to include Class 6 from the next academic year, with several contributions from the community.

The meeting was held on November 23 under the theme “Envisioning the Future of School” in collaboration with the Yongkhao Village Council, Yongkhao Students Union, Yongkhao Changlu Village Council, Eyeang Students’ Union, and other local community groups.

According to the press release, the Yongkhao Village Council will take responsibility for recruiting one graduate teacher, while the Eyeang Village Council will hire one primary teacher. Yongkhao Changlu will contribute by constructing one classroom, and Bupai Konyak Teacher will provide one primary teacher.