Tral, Feb 8: The parents of students studying at Primary School Bhatpara Dadasara in Tral Tehsil have urged the government to construct a new building for the educational institute.
 “The school was established inside a rented dilapidated building in 2004 and the senior functionaries in the government promised to construct a new structure for the educational institution at an earliest. However, the assurance from authorities proved to be a mere hoax,” the parents of the students told Greater Kashmir. 
 The locals said that many parents have cancelled the admission of their children in the school fearing that the dilapidated building might collapse anytime. “Many parents and teachers knocked at the doors of authorities seeking shifting of the school and construction of new building, but the repeated pleas fell to deaf ears,” the residents told Greater Kashmir.
 The parents said, the authorities were not concerned about the future of their children undergoing education in the dilapidated building. “Presently only 43 children are enrolled in the school,” the residents said, adding that 90 children got admission in the school when it was established.
 About the building they said, “The stairs leading to the upper story of the building is in bad condition and can collapse anytime. A portion of this building got destroyed during the devastating 2005 earthquake. Cracks in the mud walls of the structure have widened putting the lives of children at risk,” 
 The inhabitants said the school was also located at a busy market place. “Due to the noise pollution in the area, the students aren’t able to concentrate on their studies,” the locals said, adding a high tension power transmission line was also running above the school posing a grave threat to the kids.
 The educational institution, according to the parents of wards also lacks teaching staff.
 “Only three teachers are available for classes from nursery to 5th and among them one is working on temporary basis,” the residents said adding the school has only three class rooms out of which one is used for administrative purposes by the staff.
 The school, they said also doesn’t offer any recreational facilities to the children.
 “The school is also without a lavatory and the children and the staff uses the washrooms of the neighbours,” the residents added.
 When contacted a senior official in the department said, “Our hands are tied as the locals are not providing the land for the construction of building. Once the locals will allocate the land, we will start the construction work on the new school structure.”

Lastupdate on : Wed, 8 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 8 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST