Panchayat ghar doubles up as school

Akanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 19

Almost a year has passed and students of Government Primary School, Sidhupur village, are still not attending classes in their own school. Rather, they are studying in a nearby panchayat ghar. It was in September last year when the roof of school verandah had collapsed and students were then shifted to a nearby panchayat ghar. Nothing has been done to repair the school building.

Pupils Shifted last year after floods

• The walls of Government Primary School, Sidhupur village, had developed cracks due to floods last year
• The roof of verandah of the building had also collapsed
• Students were then shifted to a nearby panchayat ghar
• Nothing has been done to repair the school building.

No grant received so far

No grant was received by the school. There are times when panchayat meetings take place and the students’ studies get affected. This is a serious matter which should be addressed at the earliest. — Kulwinder Singh, President of the Democratic Teacher Union

As per information, the school building had developed some cracks after floods hit the Lohian block last year. Later, the roof of verandah collapsed.

Amandeep Kaur, school in-charge, said she was still teaching in the panchayat ghar. She said, “We hope that grants will be released soon for the repair of the school building and students will be shifted to the institution premises. It is getting tough here.”

Kulwinder Singh, president of the Democratic Teacher Union, said, “No grant was received by the school which is highly condemnable. There are times when panchayat meetings take place and the students studies get affected. This is a serious matter which should be addressed at the earliest,” he said.

He added, “Why this important issue is being ignored.”

When the incident had happened, the school authorities had immediately contacted the officials concerned. The Block Primary Education Officer (BPEO), along with officials of the Education Department, had visited the school, but everything remained the same.

“The BPEO had asked us to take classes in a nearby panchayat ghar. We have also checked the safety of the panchayat ghar. Everything is fine there. We don’t want to compromise students’ safety,” a teacher had then said.

The kitchen and rooms of the school are also in a poor condition. There is only one teacher and 25 students in the Sidhupur village school.

Munish, Deputy District Education Officer (Dy DEO) confirmed that no grant was received yet. He added, "We have sent a reminder to the head office and will receive the grant soon. Also, the students are studying safely in panchayat ghar."