Srinagar, June 10: Want to know how concerned the authorities are towards education in Shahr-e-Khaas? Sample this: The state government spends Rs three lakh annually as rentals for school building at Safa Kadal. But the institution lacks even the basic infrastructure like washrooms and playfield while the students complain of facing severe inconvenience.

The school
 The Government Girls High school at Malik Sahib Safakadal runs from a rented building. The Directorate of School Education pays 25000 rupees monthly rent towards the building owner.
 The three-storey building, as per the visitors, lacks proper classrooms, has nor playfield, laboratory, computer room, library or washrooms.

‘Shady’ rent deal
 Eyebrows are being raised as how the authorities selected the building for the school premises. Sources alleged that the lease deal matured due to some “political connection.”
 They said even though the state land was available near the school and could be an ideal site for the building, but the authorities preferred the private building. 

Permanent building dream
 Pertinently the school is one of the oldest in the area dating back 1955 but since then it’s yet to get a permanent building.
 “We had requested the authorities about the availability of 5.5 kanals of state land in the vicinity of this school. But the government wants the land to be converted into Public Park instead of school,” complained a group of locals.

Students complain
 The students of class 10th complained that they were studying in small dingy room and haven’t done any practicals due to absence of laboratory.
 The lab equipment, as per the insiders, lies in a cupboard placed in the corridor.
 The students vide an application have even pitched their grievances before the Chief Education Officer Srinagar.
  “We have never seen computer though it is one of our subjects. There is no space for it (computers). The science practical that requires laboratory are done in imagination only,” the students said. 
 On the third floor, four classes 1st, 4th, 7th and 8th standard were going on in the four corners of the single room.
 The children of 1st class complained that the jute mat was uncomfortable for sitting. “We don’t have any benches here. We can’t concentrate on studies as the noise of other classes in the room distracts our attention,” said children of 1st grade.
 The worst is faced by class 3rd students. A small porch in the corridor serves as their classroom.  “We can’t open windows even as its hot here. Some days back one of our batch mate fainted due to the heat,” the students said.

Teachers voice
 “This school has produced a good number of students in the last six decades but the condition of the building is pathetic,” said some school teachers requesting not to be named.

Other issues
 The students said the morning assembly wasn’t held as there was no space for the assemblage. They don’t even play.
 “The services of two of the physical teachers are not utilized owing to non-availability of playground. They attend the school regularly but don’t have anything to do,” the insiders said adding ‘the sports equipments are not utilized and are gathering dust.”
 The “library” positioned in one of corners of the corridor in an old rusty rack which presumably has never been used.
 “Not a single book has ever been issued to us,” the students said.

Principal speaks
 The school principal, Raziya Sarwat said: “Everything is available in the school but students can’t avail the facilities owing to non-availability of space.”
 “We had to literally fight with landlord to get electricity few months back even though electricity charges are paid every month towards the PDD,” she added.

Officials speak
 About complaints of the rented building, Director School Education, Shagufta Parveen passed the buck on the Assessment Committee for selection of the building.
  “Rent assessment committee is headed by District Commissioner Srinagar who had to check the facilities and decide the rent,” she told Greater Kashmir.
 “We wanted to purchase the building and negotiations are on…If at all everything matures we will renovate the building… There is no land available close-by,” she told Greater Kashmir.  
 When contacted District Commissioner Srinagar Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said the school would construct its own building if the land was available. “If land available in downtown, we’ll be glad to raise our own structures than to pay rent.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST