Believe it or not, children in this government primary school at Rajiv Gandhi Nagar here have been forced to study under the shade of a tree for the past seven years ever since the school was set up. Though the school was sanctioned in 2005-06, no building has come up yet.
The number of students at the school has dropped drastically, and there are only 40 students from 1st standard to 5th standard.
Although the government had sanctioned two teachers' posts, including one headmaster's post, all the five sections are managed by one teacher, Mamta, who is also the in-charge headmistress. When there is rain, the students are shifted to a ramshackle tin shed built on the land where the school building was to come up.
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The tin shed has been constructed by members of the school development and management committee (SDMC).
President of the SDMC Hanumanth said that the tin shed was constructed to protect the tables, chairs and blackboards provided by the Education Department.
Sources in the department said that the school was sanctioned during 2005-06 and government land was allocated for the building and Rs. 4 lakh was sanctioned under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in 2008.
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Mr. Hanumanth said that despite many pleas by the SDMC members to the Education Department to construct the school building, there had been no action, forcing students to pursue their education under a tree. “Parents are not ready to send their wards to the school. The majority of the students who had enrolled have dropped out,” he said.
Inayath Sindhe, Deputy Project Coordinator, SSA, said that the delay in constructing the school was on account of a case filed claiming that the land allotted to the school was reserved for a public garden.
“However, the court dismissed the petition recently. The construction will start soon after the city municipal council approves the construction plan,” he said.
Mr. Sindhe said that the department was ready to make alternative arrangements till the completion of the new school building.