Despite tall claims of the education department to provide better facilities to government-run schools, Government Middle School Jogimarg in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district still lacks basic amenities and infrastructure.
The Government Middle School Jogimarg in D H Pora area of Kulgam district has a student population of over 250.
‘This school is functioning only in three rooms. The lack of proper teaching space for students in classrooms is affecting the routine reading-learning schedule of students,” said Javed Ahmad Gorsi, a local resident.
“Only a few rooms are available in this school including the computer-aided learning room, due to which the children are suffering academically. They are not able to study in a tight space as it leads to a loss of concentration,” he said.
According to the locals, due to lack of space, the students have to rush outside classrooms. They have to study in open. Studying under the bright sun can make them feel uncomfortable. “Excessive heat can lead to fainting and giddiness,” they said.
“Children have been in patience for many years now. As the role of students in school is increasing day by day, they are not able to adjust in crowded rooms,” said Abdul Hamid Parray, another local resident.
As per locals, classrooms are crowded which suffocates the students. “It is a great sorrow that even in the 21st century our education system is weak, especially in remote areas where their voice can’t be heard. The current infrastructure of schools in some areas is so small that the students feel depressed and unprivileged,” they said.
“Many educational policies have been made but as far as the ground-level work is concerned the education system is quite miserable in some places,” Parray said.
“It really pains me to see this school being out of focus of the School Education Department,” he said.
The locals said despite repeated reminders to higher authorities, no attention was paid towards the school.
The residents appealed LG Manoj Sinha and DC Kulgam to allot an additional building to this middle school so that the students can read and write with ease and confidence.
