Recent update on the political situation in the Darjeeling/Kalimpong Hill Regent and what has happenened to Education for pupils.

     Temporary  "Back to School"  But for how long?

Kurseong, 9 September: Though the GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung has decided and announced the reopening of educational institutions amidst the bandh environment in the Hills, but even after his announcement the educational institutions are likely to be affected.

Due to the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation, all the schools and colleges in the Hills have been closed, since 29 July. Meanwhile, the agitators had also asked the boarding students to leave the Hills. Accordingly, all the boarding students have left the Hills. Not only the boarding students, but reports said some day-scholars have also left the Hills due to the bandh. Hence, after the announcement of the reopening of the educational institutions, now the students are being informed to rejoin their respective schools. But sources, said that not all students will turn up in the Hills and rejoin their schools.

A school authority said that earlier too this type of agitation had occurred and educational institutions were closed. When the institutions were reopened many students did not come back and we fear the same will happen again.

However, we have been trying to contact the students to request them to rejoin school. Some parents fear that even if they send their wards here it is bound to affect their studies as the agitation is still going on while others feel insecure because of the unrest in Darjeeling Hills. But all these worries are baseless since the agitators themselves have emphasised that even if the agitation continues educational institutions should not be affected. It was learnt that not only the boarding students but even a few day-scholar students whose parents have the means who had gone elsewhere due to the bandh might consider to continue studies there even if Darjeeling Hills reopen.

But these problems are not new to the Hills as even in the past educational institutions had to bear the brunt of the frequent Darjeeling Hills bandh and in one such case, in order to continue with the studies of its students normally, a school reportedly shifted base from Kurseong to Siliguri. However, school authorities had denied that such a step had been taken because of the agitation. Notably, from 13 September, all educational institutions in Darjeeling Hills will reopen again after being closed for more than a month since 29 July.

Taken from a local news paper.