The second oldest school in erstwhile Karimnagar district that had been constructed by the Nizams now lies in a dilapidated state, thanks to years of neglect.
Poor facilities greet students who secure admissions into the Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) in Elgandal village of Kothapalli mandal. With leaking roofs, wet classrooms are a common sight every monsoon. Worse, the ancient building has no fitness certificate to ensure the children’s safety.
The elected representatives have made lofty promises of a new building for the school, but they are yet to be fulfilled; the proposal is pending with the government. School officials have often urged the district authorities to make alternate arrangements to shift the students to a safer building and undertake necessary renovation works, but in vain. Instead, the officials issue oral instructions to declare holiday when it rains.
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The Nizams had started the school as a Urdu-medium institution in 1935. Now, it imparts both Telugu and English medium education. However, lethargy on the part of elected representatives and the officials concerned in ensuring better infrastructural facilities has led to dwindling admission rates over the years — from 350 about five years ago, it has dropped to 265 now.
Given incessant rains since the past few days, the ZPHS Elgandal is waterlogged and the students have been forced to sit in the library and laboratories for classes. Some parents have even stopped sending their children to school on rainy days, fearing the building would collapse. There have been several occasions when the roof caved in.
ZPHS headmaster Ashok Reddy said he has raised the request for a new building as there have often been instances of bits and parts of the roof collapsing. Luckily, there have been no injuries so far. The school registers good results, even 100% in English medium, said Mr. Reddy, adding that a new building is paramount for students’ safety and also to increase admissions.
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