The heads of schools meet in Kalimpong. (CF Lepcha)

Kalimpong, April 8: At a time when the hills are being frequently disturbed by strikes and agitations, heads of different schools in Kalimpong met here today and decided to work collectively against forces that impede to smooth running of their institutions. They formed an ad hoc committee and plans a body on the lines of Association of Hill Education Institutions of Darjeeling (AHEID).

The school heads said the new organisation could even operate as the Kalimpong chapter of the AHEID. “We will hold another meeting this week and create an apex body for schools in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong,” said Prakash Pradhan, the director of Rockvale Academy. Pradhan and four others have been made the co-ordinators of the ad hoc committee.

Nava Ratna Pradhan, the headmaster of Scottish University’s Mission Institution (SUMI), said the new body would collectively deal with any situation or problem that may confront educational institutions. “We will speak to political parties if we find that their actions are hampering education.”

Demanding that educational institutions be kept outside the purview of political agitation, Pradhan said local economy, too, would be hit if educational institutions were not allowed to function smoothly.

The principal of Rockvale said the money generated from the influx of outstation students help sustain the education of local children.