Sikkim school takes in hill boarders - Doors open for 100 strike-hit students to attend classes without fees

Nirmal Mangar, TT, Gangtok, Aug. 26: The authorities of an English-medium school in Gangtok have said Sikkimese students who had to leave Darjeeling because of the ongoing agitation in the hills can attend classes in their institution till the situation normalises.

The chairman of Mount Zion School at 5th Mile, near here, said the CBSE-affiliated co-educational institution could admit 100 such students.

“The students who have come back to Sikkim are staying idle at home which is not a good thing. I have decided to open the doors of my school for those students. They can come and attend classes without any hesitation,” said Mount Zion chairman Sony Virdhi.

He added that no advance payment or joining fees would be taken from the students and they would not need to wear the school uniform either.

The children could go back to their schools once the institutions reopen, Virdhi said.

According to sources, around 2,000 students from Sikkim who were studying in different schools in Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kursong returned home after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha revived its statehood agitation and asked boarders to leave the hills.

“We cannot take in more than 100 students as the others who are already studying will face the problem of overcrowding,” Virdhi said.

Today, two students who studied in Darjeeling schools attended classes at Mount Zion.

Abhisek Chettri, 14, a resident of Tadong in East Sikkim, from North Point School, Darjeeling, said he was getting bored at home and he was happy to be able to attend school again.

“My parents approached the school authorities and they agreed to take me. The syllabus is the same for both the schools,” said the Class VIII student.

The boy added that most of his friends were sitting at home. “I am happy that I could attend classes and I am enjoying with the new set of friends.”

“We tried to admit him to other schools here but no one agreed. Recently, We spoke to the officials of Mount Zion School and we were told that our child could attend classes there,” Abhishek’s mother said. “I will inform other parents so that they can also send their children.”

She added that Abhishek would be taken out of North Point and admitted to a school in Gangtok.

The other student who attended school today is from St. Augustine in Kalimpong.

Mount Zion was established in 2002 and has classes from nursery to X.

(Republished- Source & Courtesy: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130827/jsp/siliguri/story_17276308.jsp#.Uhv-etJmjlU)