Vanishing open spaces seem to have robbed children in lower primary and upper primary government schools in Ernakulam of a chance to play and engage in recreational activities.
Even though there remains no official data on how many schools lack playgrounds and gardens as per the provisions included in the Kerala Education Rules (KER), teachers admitted that nearly 70 per cent of the government lower and upper primary schools face serious shortage of open space area.
“It is sad that nobody had given a serious thought on the need to have better playgrounds and open space for children in the lower and primary levels. We have many city government schools in the lower and upper primary sections, with only a courtyard and no playground,” said a senior teacher.
KER prescribes that a lower primary school and an upper primary school, with or without lower primary section, should normally have a minimum site area from 0.4 to 0.8 hectares. “Every school shall have suitable playgrounds for games and sports. The site should contain sufficient clear space for the purpose,” it said.
A senior official of the district education department admitted that existing open space in city lower primary schools, especially in places like Edappally and Kalamassery, have been set aside for developmental activities. “Most of these spaces later turn into various offices under the Education Department,” he said.
Educationists like V. N. Sivasankara Pillai, former Director of the School of Environmental Science at Cochin University of Science and Technology, reminded that the government had issued orders to amend the provisions related to playground in the KER as per their interests.
The lack of playgrounds and space for recreational activities for children in the lower and upper primary sections has forced health experts to sound the warning bell.
“They should be ideally learning through play in this age. Physical activities are key in the child’s overall growth and not having playgrounds and open spaces will turn detrimental,” said Dr. S. Sachidananda Kamath, national president of Indian Academy of Pediatricians.
