Reporter’s Diary: Gurugram’s government schools infra fails the class test

Teachers say infrastructure gaps are particularly difficult for smaller schools in remote areas, despite serving as vital institutions for local children.

Gurugram may be known as the Millennium City, but step inside some of its government schools and that modern image quickly gives way to a more troubling reality. Ageing buildings, unsafe classrooms, waterlogged premises and a lack of space are forcing students and teachers to work around problems that should have been addressed long ago.

Kadipur’s government primary school was inundated on Saturday after overnight rain, with staff saying a weekday downpour could disrupt access for students. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

In some schools, buildings declared unsafe are still being used. In others, students have been shifted elsewhere, leaving three schools operating from a single premises. And where there is simply no space to accommodate hundreds of students, even relocation is not an option.

Speaking to education department officials in Gurugram, I found that these problems are hardly unknown. The department is aware of the infrastructure deficiencies, but officials said they are waiting for approvals and funds from higher authorities before they can act. “What can we do? We are also waiting for budget approvals from the higher authorities. Till then, we have shifted some students to other schools,” said the official.

But waiting for funds becomes a particularly difficult proposition when a school has already been declared unsafe. The official said the Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Hailey Mandi is around 150 years old, and its building has been declared completely unsafe. “We cannot simply shift 600 girls elsewhere because there is no space,” the official added.

School staff said it was fortunate the heavy rain came over the weekend. Had it happened on a working day, getting students and teachers to and from the school would have been a major challenge. For teachers, however, these are not isolated incidents. They have grown accustomed to working around infrastructure deficiencies, particularly in government schools in remote areas, where low enrolment can mean less attention.

“For many, this may not seem like a major issue. They may think it is only a small school with 30 or 40 students. But for those 30 students, these schools are a necessity,” a teacher said.

This is not simply about giving ageing buildings a makeover. It is about whether every child, whether studying in a school with hundreds of students or in a small school in a remote area, can enter a classroom that is safe and fit for learning. For now, teachers and students remain caught between ageing infrastructure and the promise of improvement. In a city that prides itself on its modern identity, safe schools should not have to wait for the next budget approval.

Mihika is a correspondent with HT Gurugram, covering civic issues, residents’ grievances, education, art and culture.