The unrest in the Darjeeling hills is casting its shadow on the many schools here, including some of the best known in the country.
Educational institutions fear the trouble may spark a student exodus
DARJEELING: The unrest in the Darjeeling hills over a separate state of Gorkhaland is casting its shadow on the many schools here, including some of the best known in the country, with some students already beginning to leave the beautiful hill town.
As the indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) entered its fourth day on Thursday, bringing normal life to a standstill in the three hill divisions of Darjeeling district — Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling — schools have started worrying about the future. Educational institutions in the queen of hill stations, some of which are over a century old, attract students from all parts of India and abroad. Some of the more well known ones in Darjeeling are St Paul’s and St Joseph’s, while Kalimpong is home to renowned schools like St Augustine’s and Mount Herman.
Nahian Islam of Bangladesh, a Class XI student at St Joseph’s which has students from the US, Nepal, Thailand, Bhutan, Japan, South Korea as well as some European nations, has been getting frequent calls from his parents who are anxious about the protests by political activists.
“The protest is definitely affecting the common man’s life. Though educational institutions in Darjeeling are not directly hit, they will suffer soon. My parents and those of my friends are worried about our safety,” Nahian said.
While Nahian’s parents are yet to pull him out, schools say students have already started leaving.
Sister Teresa, the principal of Loreto Convent here, said: “Three Class XI students left our school last week because of the Gorkhaland agitation. They have taken admission in schools in Siliguri.”
Loreto’s hostel had to be shut down after the first Gorkhaland protests in 1988. “The protests send a wrong message and tarnish the reputation of Darjeeling schools,” Teresa said.
St. Joseph’s rector-cum-principal Father Kinley Tshering shared his apprehension: “If the shutdown continues and protests intensify, there is a major possibility that students from foreign countries will leave. We are trying to keep parents posted on the situation. We are also in talks with the GJM leaders to ensure that the schools are kept out of the purview of the indefinite shutdown.”
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