In yet another disturbing instance highlighting the poor state of school infrastructure, a government-owned school in Bihar’s Nawada was found functioning without basic amenities, such as a washroom for boys and a boundary wall to secure the premises and protect children. Emphasising the deplorable condition, CJP, spearheading the “School Thik Karo” campaign, questioned: “No washrooms for boys at all? No boundary wall around the school? Are we really still living in the 80s?”
A video shared by Cockroach Janta Party’s ‘X’ handle features a conversation between a CJP member and school students as they guided him through the school’s worn-out condition. Responding to a question about whether the school has a washroom, a student said, “There’s a washroom but only for girls.”
“When we boys have to freshen up, we go to an open field,” he said, clarifying that even though “Balak” is written on the wall of the washroom, boys are prohibited from entering the space as it is set aside for girls and teachers.
The roads outside the school premises were clogged with water, making it arduous for students to reach their classes. The students apprised the CJP member of the grim situation during the monsoon, as they fear pest attacks, including encounters with snakes, with the school surrounded by a jungle.
Poor Facilities, Staff Shortage Flagged In Pakur
A similar condition was flagged at a school in Pakur town of Jharkhand, with the video displaying the “ground reality of education in the tribal belt.”
“Basic facilities, infrastructure and quality education still need urgent attention,” the East & North-East Zonal Lead, Ankit Bhardwaj, wrote in the tweet, with a video displaying the deteriorating condition of a government-owned school awash with water, worn-out washroom gates and walls, a kitchen with a goat inside, and a classroom without lights.
He also highlighted the staff shortage, especially permanent faculty, for over 240 students at the school. When the lead inquired about the situation with a permanent teacher, the teacher said, “I have to juggle the SIR duty with teaching.”
Another government-owned school in Manirampur, Pakur, with over 500 students and merely five teachers, had no boundary wall to protect the students. “It has been almost a year since the contractor assured us of creating a boundary, saying that the tender is in process,” a local said.