Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, July 31: Government Boys High School Kanispora in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district faces several pressing issues, including a lack of fencing and a poor approach road, impacting the safety and overall learning environment of the students.
With approximately 60 students and 20 teachers, the absence of proper fencing leaves the entire school vulnerable to potential threats. The looming danger of wild animals and anti-social elements adds an extra layer of anxiety, making each day a worrisome experience for students.
Ronak, a 9th-grade student, expressed concerns about the absence of proper fencing, making the students and teachers feel unsafe due to the potential threat of wild animals and anti-social elements entering the school premises. “Whenever we come to school, we feel unsafe. The people from the nearby areas come inside the premises and spend time unnecessarily, which is because the school is unfenced,” she said.
She added that the approach road near the bridge is in a dilapidated condition, leading to accumulation of water during rains, causing immense problems for students trying to reach the school.
The school Principal, Maimona Akhter, acknowledged the safety issues, and mentioned that efforts were made by the previous headmaster. “He even raised the problem with the local administration under the Back to Village programme last year, but no action has been taken so far,” she said.
Sadiq Mustaq, a 10th-grade student, lamented that the lack of fencing also compromises the cleanliness of the school as villagers bring their cattle inside for grazing in the evening. This leads to the ground being filled with cow dung, making it unpleasant and unhygienic for students.
“Whenever it rains, we have to remove our shoes and socks to reach school as the whole road and the ground is filled with water. The bad odour even enters the classrooms,” he said.
Farhan Lateef Dar, another student, pointed out that the uneven ground surface makes it difficult for them to play, increasing the chances of injury. He urged the authorities to repair the road and level the ground for the students’ safety and well-being.
In addition to these physical infrastructure issues, a teacher highlighted the problem of having more teachers than required, with the majority of them on deputation at the school. This has resulted in certain teachers not being transferred from the school for a long time.
“Initially, there were teachers for grades 1 to 10, but now the school only has classes from 6th to 10th grade. However, the extra teachers have not been adjusted accordingly and staff remains the same. During the recent Annual Transfer drive, many teachers who had completed their tenure were transferred to other schools, except for two teachers who have been at this school since 2017 and were not transferred,” a teacher said.
The Zonal Education Officer Baramulla, Fayaz Ahmad, said that he would look into the matter.
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