This Panipat school has no desks

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, July 26

Students of Government Middle School at Rishpur village in the Sanoli block have to sit on mats to study in the absence of desks.

The state government upgraded the school in 2012 and Sanjeev Kumar was appointed its head teacher. It has 110 students in class VI to VIII.

Mohit Aggarwal, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) and secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), yesterday visited the school and found students sitting on mats in every classroom. He noticed a shortage of fans, the school fencing was broken and there was no main gate.

Nisha, a student of class VIII, said, “We have to sit on mats as there are no desks. Problems multiple during the rainy season.”

Aryan, a student of class VII, said, “Studying here is a big risk. Scorpions, poisonous insects and snakes enter our classrooms during the rainy season.”

The CJM said the mid-day meal is cooked in the traditional hearth in the absence of a gas connection, which leads to smoke.

Sanjeev Kumar, head teacher, told The Tribune that no room in the school is painted. “We have been requesting for benches for the last five years. Several communiqués have been sent to the authorities in this regard, but to no avail,” he added.

Students had to bring their own plates and spoons for the mid-day meal because the school has no utensils, he said. The demand for utensils and a gas connection had been sent to the higher authorities many times.

“I have also been requesting for more teachers in the school, but the government does not pay heed to us. I worked alone in the school for four years. Last year, we got a guest teacher. The results of the school have always been good,” he claimed.

A water purifier and some fans had been arranged with donations from banks and villagers, he added.