Pulwama, Sep 5: Belying the tall claims of the State Government about upgradation of infrastructure and providing of basic facilities in the educational institutions of rural areas, the Girls Middle School Muran Pulwama lacks proper infrastructure and amenities as a result of which the students and staff are suffering immensely.
 “The educational institution has only three rooms of which two are used as classrooms and another as office,” the parents of the students told Greater Kashmir. They said that due to the space constraints, the teachers were now taking classes in a tin shed. “The school management collected money from the villagers for the construction of the tin shed,” the parents said adding that the students were facing huge inconvenience in the shed, particularly during the scorching heat. “Many students have fallen unconscious during the class hours due to the suffocation and heat in the shed,” the parents further said.
 “The children of six classes are receiving education in these two rooms,” a teacher in the school told Greater Kashmir on the conditions of anonymity adding the classrooms remain jam-packed and the students get suffocated in the rooms, particularly during the summers.
 “The students are always seen struggling in these classrooms and are not able to concentrate on their studies,” the teacher said. “The old school building was gutted in fire and there is only one room which can be used,” the teacher added.
 “We apprised the senior functionaries in the Education Department about the problems faced by the students due to paucity of space. However they failed to take any measure in this regard,” the school teacher said.  
 The school, according to the teacher is without library and laboratory.
 According to him, the school also lacks lavatory facilities. “The students, particularly the girls and staff members are facing tremendous inconvenience due to non-availability of lavatory,” the school teacher said adding that they have to visit the neighbouring houses to avail the lavatory facility. 
 According to the locals, the parents intending to send their children to the school are now giving a second thought. “These parents don’t want their children to suffer in the school due to the lack of facilities and are planning to admit them in privately run educational institutions or other adjoining government schools,” the locals added.
 When contacted, the Chief Education Officer Pulwama, Abdul Khaliq said “We have sent a tent to the school so that the students can take classes in it”. “I know about the problems faced by the students in the school and will look into the matter,” the Chief Education Officer said.

Reports Compiled by Showkat Dar

Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST