Schools, on the other hand, are exploring various other areas to make up for the lost classes
On the 40th day of the shutdown in the hills, Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations expressed concern for students at various schools in the area.
Talking to DNA, he said that children were missing classes and there was no way they could make up for this loss. "The sooner this bandh is withdrawn, the better. From our end, what we can do is overlook the rule of minimum days of functioning of school given the present troubled situation," he said on Monday.
He also said that schools would have to curtail their Puja holidays and might also have to work on weekends. "Their winter vacation begins November-end because it would not be possible to hold classes after that due to extreme weather conditions," Arathoon said.
Schools, on the other hand, are exploring various other areas to make up for the lost classes. Authorities of some schools like St Paul's School (SPS) and Himali Boarding School are looking for alternative places at Siliguri. "We can't wait till eternity for the bandh to be lifted. We will have to find an alternative for the sake of the boys' future," said an official of SPS.
Ravindra Kumar Subbah, director, Himali Boarding School said that authorities of the several schools would meet and write to GJM leaders on August 2 regarding the inconveniences and to help reopen the schools. "If a solution is worked out, then fine, or else we will have to find a place to bring the students together and conduct classes. We are already looking at ex-hostels, preparatory schools and colleges and preparing ourselves for the worst. We have about 1,100 students in our school and don't know how many we will be able to bring to the temporary arrangement at Siliguri. It will be very expensive but, we have no other option," Subbah said talking to DNA.
He also said that the process of getting more heaters for the rooms in the school was also on. "In case school resumes later, we will not like to leave the syllabus unfinished. So we have plans for extra classes for students. Younger ones would not be able to bear the severe cold so their classes would continue only till the second week of December. Students of higher classes might have to come till Christmas and students of X and XII will have to work through the whole winter. We will have to run the geyser round the clock and students will have to follow winter routine," Subbah added.
In another development, CBI which is investigating the murder case of Madan Tamang, prayed before the City Sessions Court on Monday seeking arrest warrants for GJM president Bimal Gurung and 21 others because in spite of a High Court order they failed to appear at the City Sessions Court in connection with the Tamang murder case.
Tamang, the then president of All India Gorkha League had been killed in Darjeeling on May 21, 2010. There had been 54 accused in the case of whom four had died and two were missing. Among the 48 others, 26 were present at the court on Monday including ex-GJM MLA Harka Bahadur Chettri.
OTHER DVPMENTS
- CBI, investigating the murder of Madan Tamang, pleaded before the City Sessions Court on Monday seeking arrest warrants for GJM president Bimal Gurung and 21 others. This was because despite a High Court order, they failed to appear in Court.
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