Jalandhar: Space crunch, classes being held under tin roof at this school

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 1

The two-storey Government Primary and Middle School in Basti Peer Daad, built on disputed land at Basti Bawa Khel, Kapurthala road, starkly contrasts with the Punjab Government’s promise of reform in education sector. With only five classrooms available for 10 sections spanning Classes I to V, the school has been forced to resort to temporary arrangements.

Be it harsh winter, scorching summer or rain, the students of Class II had no option but to attend their lessons under a tin roof, while other classes are either crammed into shared classrooms or taught in the corridor area. The primary school is being run from the ground floor, the middle from the first floor. The total area of the school is over one kanal. However, nearly eight marla space is lying unused and in a poor condition because of the land dispute.

Poor infrastructure

• The school accommodates a total of 550 students - 375 primary students, 150 middle school students and 25 to 30 pre-primary students - but its infrastructure is severely inadequate
• The classrooms, both at primary school and middle school, are small, poorly lit, congested and inadequately ventilated. These conditions create an environment that is far from conducive to learning
• Adding to these challenges is the absence of a playground and sports equipment, which leaves students with no outlet for physical activity

Student safety in jeopardy

• Situated on the busy Kapurthala road, the school faces a significant safety concern. The absence of signage alerting drivers to the school’s presence, coupled with the lack of traffic cops or a guard, leaves students vulnerable as they navigate across the road after dismissal, contending with constant traffic and heavy vehicles.

The school accommodates a total of 550 students — 375 primary students, 150 middle school students and 25 to 30 pre-primary students — but its infrastructure is severely inadequate. The classrooms, both at primary school and middle school, are small, poorly lit, congested and inadequately ventilated. These conditions create an environment that is far from conducive to learning.

Adding to these challenges is the absence of a playground and sports equipment, which leaves students with no outlet for physical activity. As a result, participation in sports competitions is minimal. The students spend their entire day confined to cramped classrooms, even during lunch, as there is no space available for them to move around or sit together in groups.

The situation is exacerbated by the absence of a Class IV employee, which has forced the school staff to hire a private sweeper out of their own pockets to maintain basic cleanliness.

It was learnt that the parents and even teachers had sent complaints to the DEO regarding the suffocating conditions and lack of space, but little has been done to address the issue.

Sources said the land on which the school is built belongs to the Waqf Board. They said the Waqf Board has filed a case in the court, seeking possession of the land, but as the District Education Department has been unable to to make alternative arrangements, it is delaying the case by taking date after date.

Mohit Kumar, a vegetable seller whose son studies in Class VII at the school, said, “The school is close to my locality, else I would have admitted him to some other school. There is no playground and no proper classrooms, so how will the students concentrate on their studies?”

Another parent, Resham Vij, highlighted the additional challenges during the rainy season, noting that teachers spend much of their time moving students between classrooms or laying mats on the floor for them to sit on. “The school has good enrollment, infrastructure, and enough teachers, but the lack of space is the real problem,” she explained.

Harjinder Kaur, DEO (Elementary), said she would visit the school to assess the conditions, adding that necessary action will be taken.