KV Correspondent

Unsafe school buildings risk lives of students, govt mute spectator

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The building of Govt Primary School Kanikoot in Pulwama district that has over 60 students is unsafe as it was badly damaged during the 2014 floods. Despite the tall claims of the government, especially the Education Department, nothing has been done so far for the restoration and repair work of the school structure.

Headmaster of the school Khurshid Ahmad said that he has been running from pillar to post to get a new building for the school but to no avail.

He said that the concerned engineers inspected the building, declared it unsafe and submitted a report to the authorities. They have not moved an inch over this issue.

Blaming the government, parents say the authorities are putting the lives of their children in danger as the building can collapse anytime. They have been demanding a new building so that they can educate their children.

They added that Kanikoot is a far flung area and there is no other school available up-till 3 km where they can send their children. Also, their economic condition is not very good that they can send their children to a private school.

Meanwhile, students said that there is not any facility in their school –neither there is a playground, nor a proper building or a toilet.

The Govt Primary School Kanikoot in Pulwama district was established in 1988.

The plight of Govt Primary School Chanchak C B Nath is nothing better. What is pitiable is even after 10 years of its establishment it does not have a building. All 35 students, who are enrolled in it study under clear sky and the day it rains the school shuts down.

Shaheena, a teacher of the school said that the govt provided a kitchen shed and a bathroom but that too got damaged in 2014 floods. “What is alarming is that the government has not been able to provide a school building since 2007 despite several tall promises. I have provided my own room for the students to study. We don’t know the reason why the authorities are neglecting us.”

The locals have said that they have approached the concerned authorities many times but nothing substantial has been done by the authorities so far.

To this, Chief Education Officer Pulwama, Abdul Hameed Kumar, said that we have submitted a detailed description of both schools to higher authorities. There was shortage of funds last year but we hope the problems of both the schools would be solved this year.


KV Correspondent

Kashmir Correspondent cover all daily updates for the newspaper

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