BUDGAM: The School Education Department has not been handed over two new school buildings that were constructed long ago, while a third building has still not been fully constructed due to lack of funds, for three different middle schools in Khag zone of Budgam district.
The school children in these three middle schools still study in the old buildings which have such a crunch of space that students of different classes either sit together in one classroom or out in the open.
These government middle schools are situated at Chakerpora, Batapora, and Lachmanpora villages.
Locals from these three villages said that a large number of students are enrolled in these schools but there is no space to properly accommodate them. Qasim Ali Bhat, a resident of Chakerpora, told Kashmir Reader that there are only three rooms in the school out of which one room is used for office purposes. “In the other two rooms the students attend their classes jointly with students of other standards,” Bhat said.
“Sometimes the students also have to attend their classes outside the classrooms, in the open,” he added.
Eight years ago, Bhat said, the government had constructed another school building but it has still not started being used as a school. “If the government does not have any plans to start the other school building, then they should construct another school building for the village, so that our children can get proper education as there is no other private school in the area,” he said.
“The old school also does have any proper drainage and playground where students can play sports,” he said.
Abdul Gani Mir, a resident of Lachmanpora village, said that the government middle in his village has only two rooms in which 70 students sit. Its building was constructed 40 years ago, he said.
“The government constructed another school building in the village 15 years ago, but it is still not being used for school purposes,” Mir said.
He added that the old school building is also risky as it can fall down any time. “The students are attending their classes outside the classrooms. During rainfall, the students go back to their homes as there is no shelter for the students,” Mir said.
Locals of Batapora village told Kashmir Reader a similar story. Here, too, they said, a new building for the school has been built but “not yet started by the government”.
An official from the education department, in Khag zone, told Kashmir Reader the new school buildings at Lachmanpora and Chakerpora have not been handed over to the education department as yet.
“The school building at Batapora village was constructed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) but due to dearth of funds the construction work has not been completed yet,” he informed.

ARIF RASHID