Schools in Naxal-hit areas a picture of neglect

Effective learning has taken a backseat in most government-run schools in naxal-affected areas. Wrecked by infrastructure woes, the schools are neglected.

Teachers of Government High School in Navoor, which is 13 km from Beltangady, consider themselves lucky when there are no drunken brawls in the adjacent toddy shop. The village is identified as a naxal-affected area.

Also, students feel are lucky when stench from the close-by broiler farm is relatively less.

Sanctioned in 2007-08, the high school has just one classroom, that too, next to an arrack shop and broiler farm. Teachers alleged that though the Beltangady tahsildar and Block Education Officer are aware of the problems, have not taken any action to shift them.

The school’s many applications to RTC, as proof of ownership of over 2.50 acres of land, has received no response from revenue authorities.

Owing to shortage of classrooms, the high school with 166 students, as in the naxal-affected Naravi and Saralikatte villages, are forced to function from the primary school building.

The open-air stage is used as a classroom for students of fourth and seventh standard. Shortage of classrooms in the 58-year-old high school will be solved once it gets an independent building, says headmaster K Ananthapadmanabha Holla. Sulyodi Primary School, located on the fringe of Kudremukh National Park in Indabettu Gram Panchayat, with 28 children, has just two desks and four benches. Only students of fifth standard, which also doubles as a staff room, get to sit on benches.

Deluge of Woes

During monsoons, the roof leaks and the floor turns moist, making it difficult for children to even sit, a teacher informs.

The school, attended by poor children from Idyala, Ullanja, Balthara, Baremailu and Pulthadi (inside national park), has no telephone connection. The nearest autorickshaw stand is four kilometres away.

With the government not caring, the mantle fell on the school development monitoring committee (SDMC).

Remaining grateful to SDMC, a teacher said that members have been raising money for the construction of an additional room.

Rastriya Madhyama Shikshana Abhiyana deputy project coordinator Malleshappa told Express that independent buildings worth `56.12 lakh each for high schools in Navoor, Naravi and Saralikatte villages were still in the tender stages.

Sources in Beltangady taluk panchayat feel that funds with Sarva Shikshana Abhiyana, instead of being utilised to distribute books in the middle of the academic year, should be directed towards meeting infrastructure demands.