Tauseef Ahmad
BANDIPORA, Oct 21: Guess students of eight classes taking lectures in a single room. Yes, it seems unbelievable but it does exist in the Government Middle School Safadab Neeru Nala Tulail in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Government middle school Safadab Neeru Tulail is housed in a single room in which teachers have to manage their office work besides teaching eight classes.
Talking to the Kashmir Despatch correspondent over phone Irshad Samoon a social activist from Gurez valley said that the said school is a victim of official neglect both in terms of infrastructure and academics. The school has only four teachers for eight classes.
“While everyday education department makes tall claims about digital education, these schools are examples of the ground reality. We knocked on the doors of the education department for the past many years but nothing positive has happened on ground,” added Abdul Rahim, a local resident of Neeru Tulail while talking to Kashmir Despatch.
For 23 students the school has four teachers for eight classes. “Now the winter is in offing, the temperature dips to minus in Day. In summer the school manages to teach students under an open sky but it is difficult to teach in these months.”
“The school work is badly affected as it becomes very tough for us to teach eight classes in a single room where we have to manage office work also,” added a teacher from Gurez wishing not to be named.
Meanwhile while talking to Kashmir Despatch Zonal Education Officer Gurez Ishtiyaq Ahmad said that several schools in Gurez valley are lacking in infrastructure facilities. “We have already written to higher officials for demarcation of land for schools. Hope we get positive response and proper buildings are constructed for the students of this valley,” he added.
