Nearly 8,000 students of eight schools and three colleges at the curfew-bound Dera Sacha Sauda and three nearby villages are a worried lot these days as these institutions have been closed for the last 10 days.
Since curfew has not been lifted at the dera and these villages so far in the wake of violence after the sect head’s conviction on August 25, parents of students along with their wards and teachers on Monday sought clarity from the district administration as when the studies will resume.
They met the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Munish Nagpal seeking answer to as what connection is there between education and the dera issue.
Nikita Rani of Sardulgarh in Punjab’s Mansa district travelled 30km to Sirsa. “I am a Class 12 student at Shah Satnam Senior Secondary School on the dera campus. I came to Sirsa to know when the schools will reopen.”
These schools and colleges are closed since August 24, a day before a CBI court in Panchkula was to pronounce verdict in the rape case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, and curfew was imposed in the area. Though curfew has been lifted from Sirsa town but it is still remains in force at Nejiakhera, Bajekan and Begu villages located adjacent to the dera.
The teachers at the dera schools and colleges are an equally worried lot as they wanted to know when the local administration is planning to lift the curfew. They along with other staff members also submitted a memorandum to the ADC.
Arun Kumar, who teaches English at Shah Satnam Boys College (dera campus), said, “We have no information whether the college will open or remain close for the last 10 days. All the teachers and other staff members want to know that the colleges and school will get open or will remain close.”
Paramveer Singh, a resident of Sirsa and a student of mass communication said, “How will we complete our syllabus? The ADC assured us that it will take 10 more days for the schools and colleges to reopen.”
ADC Munish Nagpal said, “I met the students, their parents and teachers. I asked them to give us 10 more days. The situation will be back to normal soon. I have also asked the district education officer (DEO) to look into the matter and to arrange classes for the students.” DEO Yagyadatt Verma said, “There are about 1,800 students at Girls Senior Secondary School, 1,600 students at Boys Senior Secondary School, 400 students at MSG International School (all on dera campus). There are 850 students at Boys College, 1,100 students at Girls College and 50 students at BEd College at the dera (all at dera).”
“While Primary School, Dhani Sawanpura, has strength of 60, High School, Begu, has 500 students. Nejia Middle School has 400 students while Primary School near Shah Satnam Chowk has nearly 200 students,” Verma said.
