Gurugram students attend classes under tarp; govt school awaits funds

Around 500 students from classes 9 to 12 attend the morning shift, while about 400 students from classes 1 to 8 study in the evening

Nearly 900 students at Government Girls Senior Secondary School (GGSSS), Bhim Nagar, are attending classes in corridors and under temporary plastic sheds as the school grapples with an acute infrastructure crisis. With only six functional classrooms remaining after a major portion of the building was declared unsafe and demolished in December 2024, students and teachers say learning is suffering severely.

The school, which is approximately 60 years old, once had 18 classrooms—five for primary classes and 13 for higher classes (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

To manage the student load, the school operates in two shifts. Around 500 students from classes 9 to 12 attend the morning shift, while about 400 students from classes 1 to 8 study in the evening. But space remains a major issue. “Out of the six rooms, some are being used as laboratories. There are days when children sit in open corridors or under tin sheds because there’s no classroom space. Even the corridors are now covered with plastic tarpaulins to protect students from sun and rain,” said Neetu Singh, the school’s principal.

The school, which is approximately 60 years old, once had 18 classrooms—five for primary classes and 13 for higher classes. After most of the building was torn down in late 2024 for safety reasons, no new construction has taken place, said officials.

Parents, too, voiced concern. “My daughter studies in Class 7, and she has to sit under a plastic sheet in this heat. How can children focus in such conditions?” said Krishna Yadav. “This is not the standard of education and infrastructure we expect in a city like Gurugram.”

Another parent, Ramesh Kumar, said, “We appreciate the efforts of teachers who are doing their best. But how long can this go on? The school needs proper classrooms. Children can’t keep sitting outside in every season.”

Teachers said the situation is physically draining and pedagogically unsustainable. “Managing two shifts is exhausting. Teachers have to stay longer hours, and students don’t get the environment they deserve,” said a senior teacher.

A Class 10 student added, “It’s hard to hear the teacher when we’re sitting in the open. When it rains, our notebooks get wet, and sometimes we have to stop classes completely.”

When asked about the delay, Sanjeev Yaduvanshi, junior engineer, Haryana Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, said, “We have sent the school’s feasibility report and building demand to the higher authorities. But the finance department has not yet approved the budget. Until the budget is sanctioned, we cannot begin construction.”