400 students in 5 classrooms | Staff, space shortage in Hr Sec School Kokernag

Anantnag: The Government Higher Secondary school, Soaf in south Kashmir’s Kokernag area of Anantnag district, is grappling with both the staff and space crunch.

The school has no one to teach important subjects like Math and Environmental Science and was upgraded to Higher Secondary in the year 2007. Housed in a small one-story building it has only five small classrooms for 400 odd students.

   

A source said the students who opt for subjects of Education, Psychology, Political Science and History have no lecturer to teach them.

“There is no lecturer available in the school to teach Math, Environmental Science, and English language. So, as a temporary arrangement, seven teachers meant to teach 9th and 10th standard students take these classes too,” he said.

Sources said only lecturers for Economics, Urdu, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology are available.

“A Math lecturer posted in the school was transferred and his replacement used his influence and did not join,” a source said.

“The school is without a full-time principal for the past two years and the charge has been given to a senior lecturer,” the source added. Another source said due to the dearth of subject teachers and space the students have to wait outside for long to attend classes.

“The classrooms are too small to even accommodate even 25 students but here you have more than fifty packed together,” he said. One of the rooms, a source said, was occupied by the health authorities to be used as COVID care center and is yet to be vacated despite not being operational now.

“The school has a huge catchment area and students from several villages turn up for admission, but have to return home disappointed,” a source said. He said those students have no choice but to enroll themselves in far off higher secondary institutions.

“It has been fifteen years since the school was upgraded from High school to Higher secondary, but it continues to function from the same old building without ample staff,” a source said.

“What is the fun of upgrading schools without proper infrastructure and staff ?” he asked. Chief Education Officer (CEO), Anantnag Sharifu Din said that the department is going for the rationalisation of teachers soon.

“We will be posting the subject teachers wherever necessary,” he said.

On the lack of ample space for students, the CEO said they have asked the concerned heads to submit the details following which a DPR would be prepared for additional accommodation.

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