Stink in air, snakes for company in Hallomajra school

The Government Model High School, Hallomajra, near the airport, has all the features to show that what a school shouldn’t have. Not only do the students study here under hazardous conditions, but they also have threat from wildlife, especially venomous reptiles.

The school has a strength of about 2,800 students.

PYTHON AT THE ENTRANCE

The road leading to the school is kutcha, dilapidated and punctuated by potholes. The school doesn’t have a boundary wall and the area is surrounded by wild vegetation. When the HT team visited the school on Friday, a python was found in the open area next to the school building.

As the HT team and students raised an alarm, some area residents captured the reptile in a gunny bag and freed it in the nearby jungle. The HT team was told that such encounters with wildlife were common here.

2,000 STUDENTS, ONE STAIRCASE

For around 2,000 students of senior classes who take their lessons in the temple, there is only one staircase to enter the classrooms.

In case of an emergency, evacuating the students safely would a difficult job.

There is nothing in the name of playground at the school. Teachers have to move from one building to other to take classes.

“The department should think about us. We are teaching under pathetic conditions. We all have to walk long distances to reach classes,” said a teacher.

OBNOXIOUS STINK

An obnoxious stink is a permanent feature in the area. “Two makeshift mandis —sabzi mandi and meat mandi — run every evening near the school. We are scolded when we ask the residents to clear the garbage. Pieces of meat can be easily be found inside the school every morning,” he said.

CLEANING AHEAD OF ADVISER’S VISIT

UT adviser Vijay Dev might see a decked-up school during his visit later this week as students and teachers of the school are working overtime to clean the walls and the floor of the classrooms.

A teacher told HT that the condition was much better as the area has been ‘spruced up’ ahead of the visit of UT advisor Vijay Dev scheduled for July 27.

First Published: Jul 25, 2015 09:19 IST