For one of the pioneering government institutions - Ukhrul Higher Secondary School in the entire district, there are many challenges at hand to revive its reputation as the premier school that has churned out many prominent citizens in different walks of life.
UHSS, established in 1952, was instrumental in moulding scores of students, who has assumed various important positions in public life. Today, however, the school has been reduced to a name ubiquitous to all government institutions and is lagging far behind the others-all due to the government’s indifference and piecemeal treatment.

In comparison with the other government institutions, UHSS has one of the best building infrastructures but the acute shortfalls in administration, teaching staff and student’s facilities have reduced the school to a total farce. ‘’The premier school in Ukhrul is today reeling under various problems making it very different difficult to run and revive its past glory,’’ said Principal R. Ringkahao in an interaction with mediapersons. On Saturday forenoon, the Hunphun Katamnao Long (HKL) hosted a press conference inviting the UHSS authorities, official from Zonal Education Office, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Tangkhul Youth Council and THYSO in the school premises.

The school authorities have, during the interaction, highlighted the multiple difficulties faced by the school, which at the moment is running sans fulltime principal, vice-principal and adequate teachers. To add further to the woes, the two hostels (boys and girls) having 34 rooms each are still non-functional owing to non-provision of furniture and kitchen, absence of residential quarters for warden and chowkidar, and irregular payment to contracted teaching staff. In addition, the school was provided with 24 computer sets in 2008.

Much to the dismay of students, the courses were never imparted till today. The school authorities clarified that the computers were furnished with almost all the seals broken and not fit for use. ‘’The school refused to accept the computers as the seals were broken and the machines were allegedly tampered. An inquiry has been instituted in the matter, ‘’ said a senior teacher.

The school has altogether 250 students in three streams at higher secondary level with the recent introduction of Commerce to the existing Science and Arts department. In the current session, it has a total 749 students which is by far the highest relatively with the other government schools in the district.
In 2008, the new school building in the heart of Ukhrul town was inaugurated by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh much to the public appreciation. Since then, however, the institution has been suffering the pinch of negligence with Ringkahao running the affairs acting as both principal and vice-principal.

The participating bodies, during the interaction, have expressed serious concerns and dismayed by the grim realities the students are in today. In unanimous voice, they urged to the higher authorities to immediately redress the problems.

For the students particularly in higher secondary level, it is definitely a trying moment. ‘’The session actually opens on July 7 but proper classes began only on July 19 due to non-attendance of teachers. In other schools, the students have been taught more than 50percent of the course. In our case, only first lessons are being covered,’’ rued Wisdom, a student’s representative of Class XI science.

Sochihan, a class XII science student, also voiced similar concerns. ‘’In our case, we have not even completed the first lesson. Only Biology classes are being taken on regular basis, while Physics and Chemistry lecturers are seldom in attendance, ‘’ he stated.

On the non-regular attendance of teaching staff, the principal clarified the contract lecturers refused to perform dutifully with an excuse that their service were not extended and not paid regularly. To certain extent, he admitted their claim while saying they are not paid for months together and service extension given only at much later time.
Having all said and done, the acting principal Ringkahao believes that once the school has fulltime principal the other problems would be gradually settled and appeal the government to look into the matter.