TRAL: The government middle school (UPS) in Lariyar area of Tral in south Kashmir was ‘upgraded’ from primary to middle standard, but the infrastructure to the contrary did not see any improvement. Students are managed and study on veranda or lawn outside for lack of classrooms.
A senior teacher Fayaz Ahmad told INS that the school has around 70 students from KG to Class 8th, but only four classrooms with nine teachers.
“We teach them in lawn outside and on veranda most of the time. If it is raining, we have to club classes,” Fayaz said.
The school is not fenced which increases the problems of managing students including kids.
“We have a canal running nearby so one has to be extra cautious about students and at times it overflows and the water accumulates in school lawn,” he said.
Teachers at school say that lack of infrastructure is creating hurdles in imparting education even though school has been ‘upgraded’ but not in ‘infrastructure’.
Teachers also worry that presence of stray dogs near the school is posing threat to the students.
“We are facing a lot of difficulties in absence of classrooms and boundary walls in the school. We request higher authorities to intervene for the mitigation of our problems,” a student Faid Ul Islam told INS.
“The department has already told them to start work on new building which was shifted from Lurgam zone but they failed to take initiative for the same,” Shareef Ahmad, Zonal Education Officer, Tral, told INS.
When asked about construction of boundary walls to the school ZEO claimed that they have already made a proposal and submitted that in Chief Education Office Pulwama.
