Be it the education system or about the infrastructure the government cannot make it any more difficult for students to step inside the schools. One such standing example would be a government school in a village near Perambalur which has its roof dripping with water and that had made mosquito breeding inside the premises. What more can the students ask for? Dengue?
"The old school building was built in 1957. Then, a new one was built seven years ago where the classes were conducted till August before we moved the children to the old school building and an Anganwadi building" says P Susila, headmistress, who has worked in that school for 10 years in her 21-year-old teaching experience. She and her only colleague R Henri Raj were too reluctant to disclose details as they were "strictly instructed not to report to the media”.
Panangur is a small village in Kunnam (Veppur) taluk. The school has a tiled roof, and the new one has a concrete ceiling, and the Anganwadi has an asbestos ceiling. The old building had rainwater dripping through its ramshackle ceiling. The dripping water reportedly led to a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Twelve students from Class 1 to 3 were moved from the new building to the old building while the remaining 12 students were shifted to an Anganwadi, though it's yet to have electrical appliances.
“We are waiting for guidelines from the District Elementary Education. All the schools in the taluk will be renovated under ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan”, said Jeevarathinam, an Assistant Elementary Education Officer who supervises the administration of Panangur School.
He added he could give the details about the renovation within a week. However, the scene in the school turned alarming as the students who went to relieve themselves allegedly found a snake which was in the bushes around the lavatory.
When Express contacted (acting) District Elementary Education Officer Ambikapathy, he said, “We do not have any data about the repairs to be done. And we have not received any communication about the renovation of the school in the taluk concerned from Central and State governments”. It is to be noted that K Murugan, District Elementary Education Officer, held the office before he died of a heart attack during his tenure on September 12.