After 25 years
This school still houses just 3 rooms for 8 classes
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mandi (Poonch), May 18
Three rooms and eight classes. Leave apart the challenge of excelling in studies the competition here is to grab a place in jam-packed classrooms. No one expects great results from the students of this school, which has been running for the last 25 years.

Yes, despite the state government’s claims on the revival of the education sector, this is the exact situation of the Government Middle School (Boys) in Mandi.

Now out of the three rooms, one is for the headmaster and another has been reserved for Sarv Shiksha Abhyan scheme in the school. Presently there are around 100 students studying in these eight classes. During normal days some of the classes run under open sky and during rainy season two to three classes run in a single room.

Residents complain that with just three rooms their wards face a tough time in the school. They say this is affecting the performance of their children, who fare badly in their exams.

“The government’s claim of revival of education in the state is rhetoric. Even as they have established new schools in the state, this school which is about 25-year-old has just three rooms,” says a parent of a student, asking not to be named. “If the government is really interested in giving quality education to the students, it needs to provide adequate infrastructure in the schools,” he adds.

Facing the heat, the students of this school say their studies have been badly hit due to shortage of classrooms. They add that though the problem continues to haunt them for major part of their academic calendar, it gets worse during adverse weather conditions when two to three classes run in a single room.

“It is quite difficult to study here but we have no other option. The other government schools are located far away,” says Muhammad Ameen, a fifth standard student. “We are poor and cannot afford to study in private schools who charge heavily from the students,” the child adds.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Jehangir Mir says he has already proposed to the government to provide the nearby land for the construction of more classrooms.

A.K. Raina, director, School Education, Jammu, talking over the phone tells The Tribune that the shortage of classrooms is because of the fact that they don't have government land for construction of new rooms. “As soon as the govt provides the land, we will start construction of classrooms so that students don't suffer,” he adds.