The students of the mandal parishad primary school (MPPS) in Narsampet, Warangal district of Telangana, face a dire situation as they are forced to study outdoors in the school's open playground due to the collapsed roof of the old building.
The decades-old structure is in a state of disrepair and in need of urgent attention from the School Education department and district administration authorities, say locals.
During The New Indian Express' visit to the school situated on Pakhal Road, it was observed that teachers were conducting classes in the school's playground. The 53 students from Classes I to V have no access to furnished classrooms due to the deteriorated state of the buildings.
Additionally, lunch under the Midday Meal scheme is being provided to the children under the shade of trees within the school premises.
The condition of the school building
Although the school had constructed a building with four classrooms in the village in 1978, no budget allocation has been made by the state government for the school's maintenance or the construction of new facilities since then. The current state of the building is alarming, with the roofs of two classrooms already collapsed and demolished. Only two classrooms remain, both in a dilapidated condition. Consequently, the staff and students are hesitant to enter the building premises, leading to the decision to conduct lessons in the open air on the playground.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a school staff member expressed grave concerns about the students' safety, emphasising that they risk their lives daily to attend classes. The staff member also mentioned that the officials are well aware of the building's condition but have neglected it.
Proposals for constructing a new building under the Mana Ooru Mana Badi programme have been prepared by the district administration authorities and submitted to the relevant department for fund allocation. However, despite these efforts, no funds have been sanctioned for the school, the staff member said.
When questioned about the lack of funds for a new building, officials claim that funds have been allocated to another school this year, she said.
Warangal Collector P Pravinya was unavailable for comment.
