Danishwar Hameed
Strange it may sound but true is the fact that Government Middle School (GMS) in Oriel Kund area of Devser in South Kashmir’s kulgam district is functioning in a three room structure.
The primary School that was established in the 1961 and later upgraded to middle school on 2005, still lacks basic infrastructure due to which the students are facing many difficulties.
The school has an enrolment of about 155 students who are crammed into three rooms, exposing the standards of the department.
“The school lacks every basic facility and has no facets to be called as an educational institution as there is no accommodation and other facilities,” locals of the area said.
As per locals, the basic issue is that despite the passage of about a decade since upgrading, the authorities have failed to construct any other structure there.
“The school is facing accommodation crunch and the teachers here can’t provide proper education to the students enrolled here,” they told The Kashmiriyat.
The school has only three rooms including an office where teachers have to adjust around 155 students of nine classes including KGs, they said. “How can two or three teachers teach students of three classes in a single room simultaneously, ” the local residents asked.
They also said that the administration focuses more on showcasing achievements in the education sector but there is no development visible on the ground.
Although the staff members are doing their best to provide quality education to the enrolled students, the dearth of basic facilities has got them concerned too.
“Compared to other Government schools, the school has a good number of students enrolled which makes it imperative for the concerned authorities to take immediate steps in order to provide them quality facilities.”
They urged Lieutenant Governor J&K, Shri Manoj Sinha led district administration to look into the matter at the earliest so that students get a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, when contacted to Chief education officer (CEO) Kulgam Mushtaq Ahmad Qadri said that the issue has come to his notice.
He assured that steps would be taken within shortest span of time to mitigate suffering of the students.