Year on, Baddowal GSSS’ woes remain unresolved

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 20

Welcome to Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal, whose principal has recently been transferred to another district as a DEO and is now managed by the next-in-command. This is the same ill-fated school where a roof had collapsed last August 23, killing one female teacher and injuring two others. Unfortunately, even after a year, the structure is pleading for the state government’s attention. With the building declared unsafe, students must attend classes at three different locations. The students remain the sole sufferers.

As soon as one enters the school, one notices a small reception area with some staff members. Seemingly reluctant, they only talk about the number of students at the school and the fact that the classes are being held in three different locations. The staff also ‘advised’ this reporter to write about the school without visiting these locations.

The primary and middle school students must travel to Baddowal village to attend classes and this practice has been going on for a year. Here, just a few yards from the primary wing’s classrooms, there is a massive dirty village pond with algae blooming. There are piles of garbage nearby. And when one enters the primary school building, one witnesses the ‘inhumane’ conditions students have to endure daily.

It is 12.45 p.m., there is no light, and the fans are not working. Students from classes III, IV and V are all crammed into one room under extremely humid conditions. Students risk passing out due to lack of ventilation. It will be hard for anyone to bear such conditions for ten minutes, these students have to endure them from morning till afternoon! A teacher, wishing not to be quoted, said, “It is really difficult for the students to study here but they hardly complain. There are around 25 teachers here, and some ten must shuttle between the three locations. It takes at least ten minutes on a two-wheeler to get to the other building. We cater to primary and middle school students here, while the high school and senior secondary students attend classes on the main campus. The entry for high and senior secondary school students is different for no one is allowed to approach the collapsed unsafe building.”

One of the passers-by stated that the pond posed a health hazard, especially during the monsoon. Not only does it emit foul odour but it also provides an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos. “Who will be held accountable if a student gets sick tomorrow? These students come from humble backgrounds and cannot afford ‘proper’ treatment; but the government seems to be in deep slumber,” lamented another teacher.

It’s been a year and not a single brick has been moved to rebuild the collapsed structure. The government may be establishing Schools of Happiness and Schools of Eminence, and claim to be spending crores on bringing ‘model’ schools to the state, but students suffer greatly due to a lack of basic infrastructure.

DEO Dimple Madan said the matter had been brought to the attention of the state government and that work would begin soon to address the grievances.