Dehlon school misses the bus

Mahesh Sharma

Ahmedgarh, May 19

Residents of the Dehlon village and surrounding localities near here were upset after the name of the Government Senior Secondary School, Dehlon, was missing from the list of the smart schools of the block.

The authorities at the school which had been making extra arrangements for the development and attending special meetings with senior functionaries during the past months were also shocked over the issue.

Residents and parents of the school students have requested the higher authorities including the Chief Minister Punjab and the Education Minister to review the list and sanction at least one smart school in the block.

Principal Balwinder Singh Grewal, said, the entire school staff were shocked to know that the school’s name, which was shortlisted for the development earlier was withdrawn from the final list. The school has now sought intervention of higher authorities into the matter. “Though we were told that our school was the only one in Dehlon-1 block to be elevated to a smart school and we were invited for meetings with higher officials on the subject. Technical officials had also visited the schools for evaluating degree of preparedness of the infrastructure required for the purpose,” said Grewal.

Residents led by Zila Parishad Member Jagdeep Bittu Dehlon and Param Deep Singh Deepa regretted that contrary to their expectation name of the GSSS Dehlon did not figure among 217 government schools of the state which were accorded status of the smart school. Residents have also urged that the list of the elevated schools should be reviewed. “As the school is approachable easily from all sides of the block and needs minimal modification on the premises. The authorities should elevate it to the smart school,” said residents.