Relocated city schools faced with increased dropouts
The School Education Department seems to have forgotten its schools relocated from their original places to temporary accommodations.
The department shifted four government schools from their original places three years back in old city and accommodated them on “temporary basis” in a single building. Ironically, the schools continue to operate under single roof, “separately”.
The four government schools are functioning under a single roof of a congested building of National High School at Karan Nagar.
The schools include Government Middle Schools (GMS) Tankipora, Chinkral Mohalla, Chota Bazar and Government High School (GHS) Zaindar Mohalla.
As per the officials the schools were shifted post September 2014 floods on temporary basis however, the authorities in school education department continue to function under single roof.
“You are authorized to shift GHS Zaindar Muhalla which has been declared unsafe by the R&B department to the National High School till the other arrangements are made,” reads a letter shot to Headmaster Zaindar Muhalla in July 2015.
“Two years passed but the schools continue to function here under single roof,” the officials said.
Meanwhile, teachers rue downward trend in the enrollment of students in these schools from past three years.
“After these schools were shifted, it was inconvenient for the students to reach here for schooling and they left the school. Even the response for new admissions is very poor at this new place,” said a teacher wishing not to be named.
All the four schools are operating from the second floor of the building and have occupied almost over a dozen rooms of the building.
“The classes of all four schools are merged and our register is monitored by one headmaster. But administrative issues are dealt separately by the concerned school heads,” the teachers said.
Also, the school education department has not paid any rent from the past three years to the school management of National High School despite occupying over a dozen rooms of the school building.
“The arrangement was temporary till these school would get their permanent buildings but it seems authorities have forgotten these schools,” an official said.
As per the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) norms, the teacher pupil ratio in government Primary Schools should be 1:30 followed by 1:35 in Middle Schools and 1:40 in Secondary schools.
Director School Education Kashmir, G N Itoo said the matter will be discussed with administrative department and efforts will be made to set up these schools at their original places.
“We are trying our best to increase the enrollment in government schools and provide quality education to the students there. Issue of these four schools will be resolved as well,” Itoo said.
KV Correspondent
