Where classes are held under tree, on street for want of amenities

Updated on: Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Official apathy and inadequate facilities have forced students of a government school near Tambaram to attend classes sitting on a street running close to the school, on corridors, under trees and also in a portion of a temple nearby.

The St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union Middle School in Sithalapakkam was upgraded as a high school last year, resulting in an increase in the students' strength.

Residents of Sithalapakkam welcomed this as otherwise students of classes 9 and 10 would have had to go to schools elsewhere. There, however, has not been a proportionate increase in the facilities at the school.

There are nearly 800 students in the high school, but only a few classrooms. As a result, one section of the students attends classes on the corridor of the building, while another section attends classes under a huge tree. In the absence of adequate classrooms, a group of students is forced to sit near a street running close to the school.

A portion of the compound wall around a village tank serves as the blackboard for some. The wall was built after a student slipped and drowned in the tank some years ago. The movement of cattle and stray dogs through this “classroom” is common.

Residents said the poor amenities in government schools like in Sithalapakkam was an important reason for the performance of students in public examinations.

A section of students and parents complained that in the absence of a compound wall around the school, miscreants had a free run. Girl students and teachers have been victims of harassment by anti-social elements under the influence of alcohol. The noon meal kitchen, like in many government schools in the suburbs of Chennai, lacked a proper building and food is cooked in the open.

The toilet for students was completely damaged and hence they are forced to relieve themselves in the open. This is a huge problem for girls, especially those in higher classes. Residents said the school teachers paid monthly charges to the owners of a couple of houses nearby for using their toilets.

Enquiries with various government agencies revealed that a patch of land, measuring about eight acres in Sithalapakkam Village Panchayat was earmarked for construction of the high school.

A considerable amount of money was spent on constructing a compound wall around the piece of land. As the land was classified as ‘meikaal poramboke' (unassessed waste land for grazing of cattle), permission was yet to be granted for construction of the buildings. Officials of the School Education Department said even while it was functioning as a Middle School, there was shortage of space.

Only after construction of additional classrooms, it should have been upgraded as a high school.

Sithalapakkam residents appealed to the government agencies to intervene immediately and arrange for construction of additional classrooms.

Where classes are held under tree, on street for want of amenities

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