Yet another school in Kozhikode may be facing the same plight as Aided Upper Primary School, Malaparamba, two buildings of which were demolished by its management recently.
Ganapath ALP School at West Kallayi, also known as Nambiveedu School, which caters to a large population in the coastal areas of Payyanakkal and Chakkumkadavu, is in a dilapidated state. The school, which started in 1931 with 13 divisions and over 500 students, now has just 56 students who have to make do with limited facilities.
The roof tiles of the school building, which is quite old, are broken. The building has no doors. As a result, dogs roam and defecate inside the school at night. The few benches and desks the school has are broken.
“The school is the best option for a lot of children in the region, but the management discourages new admissions,” K.C. Moideen, a resident of the locality, whose children are alumni of the school, said. M.K. Swaminathan, councillor of the Chakkumkadavu ward of the city Corporation, said the management had plans to sell the school along with 20 cents of land. “They had indeed accepted an advance payment of Rs.5 lakh, but did not sell it,” he said. “We want the government to take over the school,” Mr. Swaminathan, who is also the chairperson of the School Protection Committee, said.
Manager’s stanceMeanwhile, school manager Mariyambi said her finances at present were not such as to take up repair of the school. She alleged that the public outrage was instigated by vested interests who wanted to gain control over the school.
“I had planned to sell the school and its land to a person, who later turned out to be a real-estate shark. So, I withdrew from the contract. The advance accepted from him will soon be returned,” Ms. Mariyambi, who has been the manager of the school for the past 40 years, said.
