At New Janta Nagar govt school, one hall serving all purposes

At Government Primary School, New Janta Nagar, all 72 students of Classes 1 to 5 study in one small hall, which is also used to cook midday meal, houses a generator set and even the lone toilet.

At Government Primary School, New Janta Nagar, all 72 students of Classes 1 to 5 study in one small hall, which is also used to cook midday meal, houses a generator set and even the lone toilet.

A visit to the school, which is under the municipal corporation (MC), revealed that vehicles of teachers are also parked in this hall only.

One can imagine how students fare in the classroom when all classes are going on simultaneously.

It has been learnt that the school is running at Gurdwara Akal Sahib from the past 41 years. Despite the appalling plight of students and teachers, the MC has turned a blind eye to their grievances.

According to the Right to Education Act, for 20 students there must be at least one toilet. But, at this school there is a common toilet for boys, girls and even teachers. Moreover, even visitors to the gurdwara also use this toilet.

Talking to the HT, a school teacher said, “It becomes difficult to teach students as all classes are running in the same hall. Also, there is suffocation in the room when cooks cook midday meal there and we are forced to ask students to take a break for half an hour. During power cuts, the gurdwara authorities switch on the generator and it then also becomes difficult for children to sit in the room, as the generator makes a lot of noise.”

When contacted, MC commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agarwal said, “I will depute one of my officers to check the seven schools under the MC and we will take the required steps. I know students need a proper environment to study and whatever problems the schools are facing we will try to resolve them.”