Gangtok Schools reopens Today after Earthquake and Puja Holidays

Gangtok, Oct. 10: Parts of North Sikkim still continue to be inaccessible though the administration and schools, crippled since the September 18 earthquake, are expected to function normally from tomorrow. Temporary arrangements have been made so that 779 government schools with their 1.18 lakh students can start functioning. “Classes will start from tomorrow. Whatever temporary arrangements were to be done, has been done,” said HRD secretary C.S. Rao over the phone from Ravangla in South Sikkim. Construction of temporary structures on campuses, hiring buildings near schools for classes and introducing shifts in schools with low enrolments are some of the options that have been worked out. Sikkim government spokesperson K.S. Topgay said aerial sorties to evacuate people stranded in North Sikkim and air-dropping of relief continued during the Puja break by the army choppers and the civilian Pawan Hans helicopters. Chungthang, Lachen and Lachung still remain cut off from Mangan because of landslides along the North Sikkim highway. Mangan is the administrative headquarters of the North district, 30km from Chungthang. Apart from multiple landslides, a 400 metre stretch of the highway had been washed away between Toong and Theeng near Chungthang. “We have managed to cut inside the rocky hillside to create a new road up to 350 metres. Now only 50 metres is left to be created,” said AK Das, the joint director of the Border Roads Organisation’s Project Swastik. “The spot is on a steep incline. Even the rock of the hillside is hard to break,” said Das. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who visited Sikkim on September 29 had directed the BRO to restore the North Sikkim highway to Chungthang by October 15. The highway is important as it is the sole link to the army and ITBP bases on the China border. “All our resources and manpower have been concentrated at this point and the BRO is committed to open the road as soon as possible,” said Das. Nearly Rs 16,000 crore has been released by the state government as ex-gratia for the 21,659 pucca and kutcha houses damaged in East Sikkim. This amount is in addition to the Rs 1.2 crore distributed earlier. The ex-gratia ranges from Rs 3,000 to Rs 50,000, depending on the intensity of the damage and the type of house. “We appeal to those, whose damaged houses have not be been recorded so far, to come to us by October 15. Our officials will survey these houses and we will release ex-gratia for the genuine claims. We don't want to leave out any genuine cases,” said district collector D. Anandan. Around 100 claims from owners of damaged houses were received at the district control room during the Puja break. The claims should be reported to the administrative centre in Sichey, Gangtok, where the district authorities will resume work from tomorrow. Anandan has been camping at the district control room at MG Marg since the earthquake. “We will be shifting to the district administrative centre from Monday and resume our normal functions along with relief work related with the earthquake,” said the district collector. According to officials of North Sikkim, 3,361 houses have suffered major and minor damage in the Mangan subdivision including Dzongu. Assessment of the damage is in progress at Lachung, Lachen and Chungthang.

1,600 temporary classrooms in Earthquake hit Sikkim

Gangtok, Oct. 5: The Sikkim government is determined to utilise the eight-day Dasain or Puja break to repair and restore damaged school buildings so that the 779 government institutions with 1.18 lakh students are able to function on Monday. Classes in most institutions have been suspended since September 19, a day after the earthquake as 682 government schools suffered damage of various degrees. Fifty-nine of the school buildings had collapsed. Alternative arrangements like holding classes in the open did not work out because of bad weather. The options now available before the government are: construction of temporary classrooms, hiring buildings near damaged schools and introducing shift system in institutions with low enrolment, located mostly in remote areas. “We have constituted teams of officials and engineers in each district for construction of the temporary classrooms. We have requested the respective MLAs to provide us with help in the form of labourers, most of whom will be unavailable during Dasain,” said state human resource development secretary C.S. Rao. The 20ftX16ft temporary classrooms will accommodate some 30 students each. Locally available material will be used for construction and the arrangement will continue for the next four to five months till permanent structures come up, said Rao. The number of temporary classrooms will depend on the enrolments in each school. “The number of temporary classrooms may cross 1,600 and the MLAs along with our officials are on a tour to assess the exact requirement,” said Rao. Most of these temporary structures are expected to come up on vacant school grounds. The HRD department has the option of hiring space in local buildings if there is no scope to set up a temporary structure near a school. If both these options do not work out, classes may be held in shifts, said Rao. This means the less damaged rooms of a school may be used in turns for holding classes. On September 26, the government officially announced that classes in government and some 325 private education institutions would resume only on October 10 when the Dasain break ends in most schools. The school heads had been directed to work with the authorities for putting up alternative arrangement by then. Chief minister Pawan Chamling had already instructed the HRD department to repair and restore all government schools during Dasain so that students can be back in class on October 10. “There has been a loss of more than a week of class but we will compensate it at the end of the academic calendar. According to an earlier schedule, the schools would have shut on December 17 for winter. Now it will close only on December 22. Right now our target is to start classes from October 10. All arrangements will be ready by October 9 evening,” said Rao. Earlier, schools were supposed to close for Dasain on October 10.

All schools across Sikkim shut till October 10

Gangtok, Sept. 26: All schools across Sikkim will reopen on October 10 after Puja (or Dasain) vacation, the government has announced after taking stock of the widespread damage that educational institutions suffered in last Sunday’s quake.

Classes in the 779 government schools and some of the 325 private institutions had been suspended since September 19. But some unsuccessful attempts in the past few days to resume classes in alternative rooms and a gloomy weather prompted the government today to officially announce a break till October 1, when the Puja holidays start.

“All government schools are closed till October 1. They will reopen on October 10 after the Puja holidays. We had tried for a couple of days to resume classes but could not do it as the schools were not in good condition and weather continues to remain bad. We don’t want to take any chances,” said state human resource development secretary C.S. Rao.

Rao said the schools would have to take extra classes in winter to make up for the loss. “Earlier it was scheduled that the schools would close on December 17 for winter break but now it will close only on December 22,” he said. “We have also conveyed our decision to the private schools but if some of them want to continue with the classes, we have no objection,” Rao said.

He said there were around 1.18 lakh students in the government schools and 24,000 in the 325 private institutions. Nearly 430 government schools have suffered major damage. Of them, 54 schools have totally or partially collapsed, according to a preliminary report collected by the department.

“The school heads will be available during this break to consult with the local panchayats and school managing committees to make alternative arrangement so that classes can start from October 10,” said Rao.

The chief minister has given Rs 50 lakh as immediate relief for restoration of the school buildings, he said.

Power developer LANCO starts scholarships in Sikkim School

Majhitar (Rangpo)Nov11: In compliance of its Corporate Social responsibility, LANCO Energy Private Limited in a social welfare programme held at Majhitar Primary School Ground, East Sikkim, distributed scholarship to 18 meritorious students of different schools of South Sikkim where the company is working.
Building and Housing Department Minister Mrs. Tilu Gurung was chief guest and Mr. BS Panth, MLA, Temi-Namphing and Chairman, Power Department, was guest of honour of the programme which was attended by SDPO Mr. Hari Tewari, General Manager LANCO, Mr. SK Sarkar, Advisor Mr. RK Pradhan and Unit Head Mr. BK Ojha. Teachers, students and panchayat members of Namthang-Rateypani and Temi- Namphing constituencies were present in large number.
Mrs. Gurung appreciated LANCO for its involvement in social activities. “Many big companies are currently operating in the state as a result of Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling’s visionary schemes”, she said, adding, “he had the idea of converting unused barren land and ever flowing water of Sikkim into main revenue generator”.
Chief Guest Mrs. Gurung said, 75% of LANCO’s total project is in Namthang-Rateypani constituency. She called upon company officials to have a coordination meeting in near future with her and panchayats of the constituency. More and more locals should be benefited by the company so that they will have full faith in them, she said. She urged the company to come forward in spreading education among people. She asked for total transparency in every project and emphasized on better coordination with locals. She called upon the company to construct a community hall at Namthang.
Guest of Honour Mr. Panth said, every policy of the company should be people-friendly and pro-people. He also praised LANCO for its social activities. He said, “Our people are very innocent, even our youths”, and urged the company officials “to keep a human touch with locals”. “Every company has socio-corporate responsibilities”, he underlined. No hatred or humiliation should be mated to the locals, he emphasized. He congratulated LANCO for encouraging local students with scholarship.
Mentioning dinking water scarcity of Namphing area, Mr. Panth asked LANCO to extend its helping hand in the matter. The company, while doing its construction work, should also maintain greenery and care for conservation of forest, he noted. He advised that the proposed construction of a barrage at Sirwani should be tourism-centric. Manpari-Samardung road should be completed shortly, he told the company.
“Our unskilled youths should be provided skill development training by the company and then employed”, Mr. Panth emphasized. He said the State government will provide every possible legal help to the company. Panchayats also addressed the meeting.
Company officials informed, total 409 locals are employed so far. Every year the State will be paid a revenue of Rs.1.50 crore. On the day, scholarship was given to students of Namthang, Kabrey , Bermiok Tokal and other schools of Temi Namphing and Namthang Rateypani constituency. Fire Fighting pump was handed over to Manpari Busty by LANCO.
On the occasion, a health camp was also organized by the company for handicapped people of the two constituencies. Another camp will organized shortly at Namthang, it is informed. Students of Majhitar School presented a cultural programme on the occasion.

Sikkim Governor and Chief Minister Paints Conflicting pictures of Sikkim Schools

Gangtok,October30: Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling had an embarrasing time as governor BP Singh expressed concern at the high dropout rate in schools in the state before Vice-president Hamid Ansari and other dignitories.

Singh was speaking at a seminar on 'Right to Education With Special Reference to Sikkim and Its Impact on Legal Awareness Campaign' here organised by Sikkim High Court on the occasion of its golden jubilee celebrations which was inaugurated by Ansari, who is on a visit to the mountain state.

Earlier, Chamling had painted a bright picture about the state of education in Sikkim saying that the state has one of the highest literacy rates in the country.

The state was recently given an award by a media group in New Delhi for being the best state among the smaller states in primary education, he told the function.

The Union Human Resources Development Ministry has released a report recently stating that the school dropout rate in Sikkim was 85 per cent and was the second worst performer behind Bihar.

85% School dropout rate in Sikkim

GANGTOK, October 26: It is the ultimate irony of Sikkim – twenty percent of the State’s annual budget is ‘allocated’ for education sector and yet out of thousands of boys and girls enrolled into primary schools, only twenty percent on an average make it senior secondary level and even less numbers pursue a degree course in colleges, as per the analysis of a national report suggest.


In a telling rebuttal to the State Government’s education implementation, the annual report 2008-09 of Ministry of Human Resource Development listed Sikkim in the second position in the national ranking of dropouts.

As per figures outlined by the HRD Ministry in its annual report, Sikkim recorded 85 percent school dropouts rate from Class I to X for the year 2006-07! This percentage is much higher than the national average of 59.9 percent.

Bihar stands on top of the heap with 85.1 percent – Only 0.1 percent separates the leader and second best in the infamy list of dropouts.

According to the HRD Ministry report, a total of 85.2 percent dropout rate has been recorded for girls between Class I to X of Sikkim while it is 84.8 percent dropout for boys taking the total dropout rate to 85 percentage for the year 2006-07. This means that 85 percent of the school goings students of Sikkim dropped out without reaching the senior secondary levels and only 15 percent managed to reach the senior secondary schools and much less, saw college education.

Sikkim does reasonably good in the primary education levels with the dropout rate from Class I to IV standing at 24.3 percentage, marginally below the national average of 25.4 percentage for the year 2006-07. However, the picture disintegrates in the upper primary school levels (Class I-VIII) with dropout rates of Sikkim skyrocketing to 65.5 percentage, much higher than the national average of 46 percentage.

Though the HRD Ministry in its report has not published the factors for the abnormally high dropout rates in Sikkim, local stakeholders here pointed out that lack of quality education, economic compulsions and social issues are the responsible factors.

The quality education factor is interesting as Sikkim boasts one of the highest teacher-student ratios in the nation.

CBSE Status of Mount Deepam School in Gangtok stir up hornet's nest

Gangtok,October09: Mount Deepam School in Church road, Gangtok was established in 1995 by Johny Kutty. C.J who is also the Principal of the school. The total strength of the school is 300 and has been claiming affiliation with C.B.S.C Board since 2000. The School has been running Standard IX & X for last 4 years although as per reports School isnot afiliated with CBSE as claimed.
The School has been charging a fee of Rs.1000/- instead CBSE recommended amount of Rs.350/-per month. The School requires atleast 1acre land area to be affiliated with CBSE which the rented premises of Mount Deepam School fails to meet the requisite criteria.The School Management has claimed to make arrangement with other schools to allow Standard IX&X students to appears in exams such as New Light School of Namchi and Greendale School of Gangtok.
The school has 12 teaching staff and 4 non-teaching staff. Active participation on extra curricular activities such as sports is the priority and its promotion among children.

75th year celebrations of Namchi Senior Secondary School (NSSS)

Platinum Jubilee celebration of NSSS all set for Oct 14

Namchi,October07: A final meeting of the committee for Platinum Jubilee celebration of Namchi Senior Secondary School (NSSS) was held here at the Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Tika Maya Chamling who is also the chairperson of the celebration committee.
Established in 1934 “to build a healthy and prosperous society”, NSSS has completed 75 years to celebrate its Platinum Jubilee on 14th October this year. “Ever onward” has been the motto of the school over the years.
The celebration is likely to bring all the ex-students of the school under one roof to remember their school days and friends by way of a reunion. The celebration committee is formed with ex-students as members to extend their support for a grand success of the event.
The committee has decided to pay homage to the founder members and land donor of this school by constructing a Platinum Pillar in front of this heritage school building and to also construct an information and communication technology (ICT) building with modern IT facilities to shape the future of the pupils by their holistic development. The committee has also planned to institute awards and scholarships to the meritorious and deserving students of the school.
The meeting discussed at length various issues pertaining to the celebration and job distribution. Construction of pandals, food and refreshment arrangement, preparation of cultural items and many other jobs were shortlisted for ex-students, celebration committee members, present students of the school and its teaching staff.
Individuals who were given various responsibilities in the previous meetings shared their views, suggestions, plans and opinions on the proper management for the celebration. The Joint Director, HRDD South, T. B. Vhettri, Principal NSSS, YP Nepal, were among those who shared their views.
The meeting was attended by former Minister GM Gurung who is vice chairman of the celebration committee, District Collector South, AK Singh, Deputy Director S/W Sports and Youth Affairs, Kamal Chettri, Chief Medical Officer, Bimal Rai, members of the Platinum Jubilee Celebration Committee, ex- students, student representatives from NSSS, teaching staff and members of the school management committee.

Sikkim grants funds under SSA

GANGTOK, 23 AUG: The state government has given Rs 13.48 lakh to 60 schools, including eight schools run by monasteries, in north Sikkim from the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds, according to a Human Resources Development official today.
The funds have been distributed to these schools to meet the expenses of maintenance and salaries of the teachers for the financial year 2009-10, HRD joint director, Mr Ugen Lepcha said.
He said that he had visited these schools to distribute the funds earlier this year and had interacted with the teachers and management committees to take stock of the quality of education being imparted by the schools in north Sikkim.
Mr Lepcha said that the school management committees and the teachers have been directed to perform their duties to the best of their ability and ensure imparting of quality education to the schools right from the primary level.
Mr Lepcha also said that the funds under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for the remaining 42 schools, including 10 of those being run by the monasteries, amounting to Rs. 9.59 lakh will be released soon to meet the administrative expenses and the teachers'
salaries.

Press Trust of India

52 Sikkim govt schools 8 monastic schools given SSA Grants

MANGAN, August 21: A total of Rs. 13, 48,500 was distributed in the form of account payee cheques to the respective School Management Committees (SMC) of 52 Government Schools and eight Monastic Primary Schools of North District as various grants of the 10 complexes under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
The District Project Office, SSA of North District has started the distribution of Grants namely the CRC Grant, School Grant, Maintenance Grant and Teachers’ Grant under SSA for the financial year 2009-10 from August 19, 2009.
The district officials under the aegis of Joint Director/ Project Head, Ugen Lepcha visited 10 complexes on August 19 and 20 for the distribution of grants. Among the 10 complexes, three falls under Kabi, four under Mangan BAC and three under Passingdang BAC.
The main objective behind visiting the complexes for distribution of grants, officials said was to interact with the teachers and the School Managing Committee of the complexes and also to train them on the utilization of grants and maintenance of accounts under SSA.
During the visit, the officials also conducted an orientation programme at the CRC level where SMC members and teachers were invited. This initiative, undertaken by the DPO was taken up for the first time in the district. In the previous years, the grants were distributed at the DPO.
Guidelines on the roles and functions of the SMC and the utilization and maintenance of accounts were also distributed to them. A total of 213 SMC members and teachers attended the programme at different CRC/ complexes, it is informed.
In the interaction session, the Joint Director, Deputy Director and Deputy Secretary, HRDD, North laid specific importance on quality education. Teachers were requested to perform their duty regularly with utmost sincerity and dedication. At the same time, the SMC members were requested to cooperate with their school counterparts for the better upliftment of the school as a whole. Open discussions on improvement of education in government schools were also held during the orientation programme.
Distribution of grants to the remaining 32 government schools and 10 Monastic primary Schools of eight complexes which includes a financial involvement of Rs. 9,59,000 will be distributed after the completion of the second terminal examinations, said officials

Scholarships to three students by Gangtok Pang Lhabsol celebration committee

Gangtok,August12: Pang Lhabsol will be celebrated as unity day by Pang Lhabshol celebration committee on 4th September at Gangtok. Mr. Thukchuk Lachungpa, president of the committee, in a press conference at his residence on Tuesday, said every year the celebration is organized as a unity day as “a tradition in the State”.
Stating that Pang Lhabsol has both religious and cultural importance he said, the celebration committee will organize the programme as a cultural event.
Governor Mr. B.P. Singh will be invited as chief guest and Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling will be invited as guest of honour for the programme which will be presided by the president of the celebration committee, Mr. Lachungpa informed.
On the day, two categories of cultural competitions would be organized for NGOs and students, he said adding, from this time the celebration committee has decided to provide scholarships for degree course to needy best three students of the State who have scored more than 80% in Class XII exam. “The celebration committee has decided to bear the best three students’ education expenses irrespective of their streams and colleges in India,” Mr. Lachungpa said

JNV, Sikkim shortlisted for e-india 2009 ...

Gangtok:JNV Pakyong was established in 2005 and it is functioning in the temporary site with 150 students from class VI-X. .Our vision is to make this School, a centre of excellence. We aim for the all-round development of students. We wish to bring our School to the top in the country .
Our School was selected as the BEST PERFORMING SCHOOL by ORACLE
And we are going to receive the NATIONAL Level INTEL award shortly and we received many prizes from different organization including ISRO. Master Deepak of class X had been selected for NTSE scholarship in 2007. Eleven students of Class VIII had passed the state level NTSE Examination in 2008.

Now this school has been short listed for eINDIA2009 award 2009. Ministry of Information and communication technology has selected 42 schools as ICT enabled school of the year 2009 and we are the only one from Sikkim and final winner will be selected based on public voting system.

Pvt schools have no right to hike fees: Supreme Court

New Delhi: In a major decision, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that private unaided schools do not have the right to hike fees charged from students. Hearing a review petition filed by the Action Committee for Unaided Private Schools seeking reconsideration of a 2004 apex court verdict, in which the SC had upheld the Director Education’s authority to take a final decision in fee hikes being implemented by schools on the ground of implementing pay commission recommendations for teachers, the SC today said only the government can regulate private school fees. The unaided private schools need to take the permission of the Director Education before hiking fees, the court said in its judgement. While filing the review petition, the unaided private schools’ action committee had said that the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations required the schools to pay teachers higher salary.
The committee had also argued in the review petition that the 2004 judgment was contrary to provisions of the Delhi School Education Act. Today’s SC verdict is a major victory for parents of school children who have been opposing private schools’ move to hike fees periodically. The SC in its 2004 verdict had also endorsed the Director Education’s move to put a freeze on the fee structure and halt transfer of funds from schools to the parent society.
(NewsAgencies)