MAWKYRWAT: Domiasiat, a village in South West Khasi Hills District, known for its huge deposit of uranium has been without a school for 14 years and the children of this village have to walk to about 10 km to attend classes in neighboring villages.
Sources informed that the Domiasiat Government LP School was closed down in 2007 after a major agitation against Uranium mining in the state by various pressure groups. The two teachers of the school were transferred to Phlangdiloin Government LP School and Sasniang Government LP School.
The Khasi Student’s Union (KSU), which is spearheaded the anti-uranium mining agitation in the state, has expressed concerned about the future of the children of this village and has termed the government decision to close down the school as an ‘attempt to deprive the rights of the children to access to education as others’.
The KSU, South West Khasi Hills District along with the KSU Umdohlun Circle on Monday wrote a letter to the Sub-Divisional School Education Officer (SDSEO), J. Thyrniang demanding reopening of the abandoned school and retransfer of the two teachers.
“Domiasiat is one of the villages that opposed uranium mining tooth and nail and is now without even a single school. At present the children from this village have to walk approximately 10 km to Phlangdiloin village to attend school,” president of the KSU South West Khasi Hills District, Forwardman Nongrem said.
The closure of the school is an attempt to deny the children their right to education, president of the KSU Umdohlun Circle, Dusterwell K Lyngdoh said, adding that government should immediately reopen the school and retransfer the two teachers.
The KSU expressed its gratitude to the SDSEO, J. Thyrniang for taking the matter seriously and assuring to take up the issue to the office of the Director of School Education & Literacy.
The union also urged the Director of School Education & Literacy to reopen the school by 2021. The KSU also called upon the local MLA, Pius Marwein to take the responsibility as a public representative to ensure that the children of this village can access to education.
The KSU said that it will continue to chase the issue until the school is functional again.
Meanwhile, the SDSEO, J Thyrniang, in a letter to the Director of School Education and Literacy, Shillong said that according to the information provided by the CRC of Phlangdiloin, Domiasiat village has 8 households with about 20 children who are walking 10 km everyday for attending school.
