For the people of Jomotshangkha dungkhag in Samdrup Jongkhar, a higher secondary school has been on their priority list for quite some time now. Today, after completing class ten, students have to travel over 200 kilometres outside the dungkhag to continue with their studies.
The need for a higher secondary school is justified by the fact that there are two middle secondary schools in the dungkhag catering to three gewogs. At the moment, students from the two schools are either sent to Phuentshothang or Orong Gewogs to pursue their higher secondary education.
According to the parents, besides being an additional expense, sending their children outside the dungkhag is a risky affair. Without an internal road link, students have to travel through the Indian highway to get to Phuentshothang and Orong Gewogs from Jomotshangkha.
“We worry about our children’s safety. Anything can happen along the Indian highway. Moreover, when our children fall sick, we can not go and see them sometimes due to the strikes in Assam. It has become necessary to have a higher secondary school here,” said Kumar Biswa, from Langchenphu Gewog in Jomotshangkha Dungkhag.
“It will be convenient if we have a higher secondary school here. we have to spend extra money to send our children to far off places. I have two children undergoing their higher secondary education and I am worried. For the benefit of the villagers here, we need a higher secondary school,” added Ugyen Chenzom, also from the same gewog.
The dzongkhag education office plans to upgrade Minjiwoong Central School in Jomotshangkha to a higher secondary school next year. It has already written to the education ministry for approval.
“We feel it is important to have a higher secondary school in the dungkhag. Accordingly, we will upgrade the central school there. However, we will not have the science stream. We will offer a section each for commerce and arts streams,” said Rinchen Gyeltshen, the Chief DEO of Samdrup Jongkhar.
Last year, around 75 students from Jomotshangkha dungkhag were sent to the higher secondary schools in Phuentshothang and Orong Gewogs.
Kinley Wangchuk
