By Willie Gordon Suting
It was a dark, wintry evening sometime in November 1966 when C. Lalchungnunga, after a hard day’s work in the office, stepped down a city bus at Happy Valley and entered a photo studio owned by H.L Siama.
In that year, due to insurgency in Mizoram, many families fled to Shillong and settled down in Happy Valley area. As a result of armed conflict between the government and the Mizo National Front, all the educational institutions in Mizoram practically came to a standstill.
Villages were grouped for administrative and security convenience. Schools and colleges had to be deserted as students and teachers had to flee to avoid arrest on grounds of suspicion by the army on one side and forced enrolment by insurgents on the other. Many young boys and girls had come to Shillong partly for safety and partly to continue their education.
Lalchungnunga shared an idea with Siama, that of coming up with a school for the deprived ones and also for the needy locals. Lalchungnunga requested Siama if he could help contribute the required capital. He said he was willing to resign his Government job for this to materialise.
Siama not only agreed, but generously donated his land and building for the school. The school was established on March 1, 1967, with Lalchungnunga as headmaster and Siama as proprietor and president of the Managing Board.
What evolved was a day school for Class VI and below and night school for Classes VII to X. In 1968, the first Class X batch did well in the matriculation examination. Since then, H.L Mizo Secondary School has progressed by leaps and bounds coming to celebration of its golden jubilee this year.
The school enrols not only Mizo children but also children from other communities and backgrounds. The enrolment has been increasing year after year.
In 1989, the school’s middle and high school section was brought under the Deficit System of Grant-in-Aid. At present, there are 627 students with 23 teachers and six non-teaching staff.
It has also made much progress in terms of education and infrastructure. H. Lalrohlui, Headmistress of the school, says, “We feel very proud for we have improved a lot, in terms of infrastructure and quality of education.”
Palseong Doma, Assistant Headmistress, reflecting on the school’s golden jubilee, says, “The school has achieved a lot from the time I joined here in 1985. Now, we have buildings, computer room and science laboratory.”
H.L Mizo Secondary School has always had a pass percentage of 80 per cent in the MBoSE exams with two students getting distinction in 2015.
In 2012, the school became the first in the state to receive Prime Minister’s Shield from the then Prime Minister Mamohan Singh for good service in Scouts and Guides. In 2016, student Gaurav Pradhan, School Prefect and Troop Leader of Scouts Troop, received the President Award. Fourteen scouts and one guide had also received the Governor Award in the same year.
“The feedback from parents has been positive as we are working very hard to impart quality education. Construction is now going on for a playground,” says Lalrohlui.
Rajya Sabha MP Wansuk Syiem, an alumnus of the school, was invited to the golden jubilee celebrations on July 21, informs the headmistress.
“Our students have now become army officers, lecturers, automobile engineers, lawyers etc. They have been doing very well,” says Doma with a smile.
Reflecting on the golden jubilee celebrations, Lalrohlui says, “We worked very hard for it to be a success. We feel very happy that everything turned out well.”