Students studying under sheds in Chandigarh to be shifted to nearby schools
The UT Administration has decided shift all students studying in schools running under temporary tin sheds to nearby schools.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit here today.
The Administrator, along with senior UT officials, visited the Government High School, Hallo Majra, on May 21 on receiving complaints from parents that some classes were running under a tin shed in the scorching heat.
UT Adviser Dharam Pal said they had decided to shift students of all four schools being run under tin sheds, including Hallo Majra, Railway Colony, Palsora and Indira Colony, to nearby schools.
He said directions had been issued to the Education Secretary to adjust students in nearby schools by the end of the summer vacation.
The Government High School at Hallo Majra has been in a dilapidated condition for the past several years. Due to large number of students, the school functions from two buildings. It accommodates approximately 2,500 students in 26 rooms — eight have tin sheds and are located at some distance from the actual school building — in two (morning and evening) shifts.
The school does not have a playground or a dedicated boundary wall, but a wire mesh wall for safeguarding students.
The conditions were no different at Government Primary School in Railway Colony ,near Kalagram. Children here are made to sit on the floor in classes. The school authorities informed that they would not be able to accommodate all students in case benches were placed in classes. Classrooms were very small and children were crammed into them, the school authorities added.
The school is being run from a small 45-year-old building. There is no proper playground on the school premises and children play in an adjacent piece of land belonging to the Railways. The unmaintained ground has tall grass at most places although the headmistress says that the gardener is doing a good job.
The school is covered with cement sheets instead of proper roof due to which rooms get very hot. Most classes are located on the west side of the school, which receives the maximum sunlight. It is a pitiful condition as students already have to sit on the floor.
Children of the school are mainly from Railway Colony. Some students belong to nearby Mauli Jagran village.
Education Secretary Purva Garg said no more classes would operate in tin sheds. Accordingly, the department had identified all such tin shed buildings and it would be ensured that students get better environment for studies, Purva added.
