Children who have returned to their schools after summer vacation are a disappointed lot.
Their hopes dashed this year too as the same old dilapidated buildings/classrooms without toilets and wrecked chairs for class teacher welcomed them.
None of the municipal schools has proper infrastructure. The AGK Municipal High School, which is a stone’s throw from the municipal office, is one such example.
The school building is in a dilapidated condition, with broken windows. Fans are out of order. There is no electricity connection in a few rooms. There is no toilet for teachers. There is no furniture for students, except for those studying in class 10.
They have some benches as one of the teachers donated them. The teachers, in unison, say that it’s not easy to teach students as the fear that the building could cave in any time has gripped them. The students use umbrellas to protect themselves from rain in the classrooms.
The teachers said that a tree got uprooted in the school a couple of days ago which damaged the kitchen and other sheds.
However, none was injured, as the accident took place in the evening. The school has about 250 children studying in sixth to tenth standards. Of them, 125 are girls. There are few toilets for girls, but none of them are in a working condition. The school has no toilet for boys and male staff members.
“On many occasions, we (staff members) have on our own collected money for maintenance of toilets, repair of tap head, motor, purchase of buckets and mugs,” says a school teacher, who does not want to be quoted.
The government sanctioned Rs.18.60 lakh for construction of three classrooms. But, the funds were diverted to a Zilla Parishad School in Jaggaiahpeta as the funds were not utilised within stipulated time. The school could not utilise the funds as there was a disagreement between engineers and the school management.
The engineers argued that they would construct the rooms on an existing building. The teachers, however, wanted that they be constructed in the open space as the building was not in a good condition. In the squabble, the funds were reallocated to the ZP High School, sources say.
