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Ludhiana: Students settle for indoor games as government schools lack playgrounds
When approached, Harjinder Singh, district education officer (Secondary), said, “We do have a plan but its execution would take time”
Most of the government schools in the urban areas of the district lack the facility of a playground in the premises due to which students are restricted to play either indoor games or visit nearby parks, occasionally.
Palak Kumari, a Class 5 student of Government Primary Smart School, Kundanpuri, who won a 600m race at block level primary school games in November last year and aspires to become a track and field sprinter taking inspiration from Milkha Singh, said she prepared for the event in the park nearby her school, only for less than a week.
Kuldeep Kumar, principal of the school, mentioned the lack of grant from the government for a new building. “The strength of our school is around 650. Lack of space makes it difficult for us to accommodate these many students. Sometimes, we do take them to the park nearby, otherwise we arrange indoor games, like chess and ludo,” he added.
Harinder Kaur, in-charge of Government Senior Secondary Smart School, Kundanpuri, said the students show keen interest in sports activities but the lack of space leave them helpless. She remarked, “Some of our students are amazing athletes and have competed at district level. They do demand for a ground but we only have a small cemented space where we arrange few activities for them.” Ashish Kumar, sports teacher, said though training for judo and karate is provided to the students, other games, like basketball and football, needs an adequate space.
The students of Government Primary School for Girls, Jawahar Nagar, are taken to the nearby Senior Secondary School for sports activities. Manvir Singh, school head teacher, said, “We understand that physical activity is vital for children’s development and this is why we try to arrange such activities for them in the nearby school’s playground.”
An inappropriate condition of the playground, along with not a single sports teacher, at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, has forced the students to take up private training. School principal Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja said, “We are slowly and steadily improving the condition of our school playground and the delay is only due to lack of funds and manpower.”
When approached, Harjinder Singh, district education officer (Secondary), said, “We do have a plan but its execution would take time. We are in talks with the local authorities if they could provide land nearby schools which could be converted into playgrounds.”
