Itanagar: At least 90 students from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at Nangnyo in Pakke Kessang district of Arunachal Pradesh marched around 65 km to highlight the alleged acute shortage of teachers in their institute.

The students, in their blue school uniform, embarked on a foot march from Nyangno village on Sunday, walked the entire night and reached Lemmi, the district headquarters, on Monday morning, an official said.

Video clips of their march at night and in the morning surfaced on social media. Several of the girls were seen carrying umbrellas and backpacks. PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the clips.

Led by students of Classes 11 and 12, the protestors demanded immediate posting of teachers in Geography and Political Science.

The students held posters reading “a school without a teacher (is) just a building” and raised slogans in support of their demand. They claimed they were left with no option as their repeated pleas for subject teachers were ignored by school and higher education department officials.

An official said the school education department recruited teachers as demanded by the students following the rally.

“The students were protesting the acute shortage of teachers in the school,” Pakke Kessang Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) Deepak Tayeng said. He added the students did not inform the hostel warden or school authorities about their march.

The headmistress admitted there is a shortage of Geography and Political Science teachers but said the school has adequate tutors for the remaining subjects. She added that courses for the half-yearly examinations had already been completed.

Established in 2011-12, the school is managed by NGO Sei Donyi Charitable Trust and provides education for girls from disadvantaged communities in educationally backward areas. It currently has over 90 students, along with a headmistress, a warden and at least 13 teachers.

A senior education department official said the department is functioning as per norms and had already engaged two contractual teachers last month.

Speaking about the shortage, the DDSE said a walk-in interview for three teachers had been held last month, and approval from higher authorities was awaited.

The midnight march, which sent shockwaves among parents, authorities and the public, yielded results as the department has now approved the recruitment of Geography and Political Science teachers.

Tayeng said officials explained the situation to the girls, who were doing fine even after completing such a long journey on foot. The students were later sent back to school in two vehicles arranged by the department.