Mid-day meal, infra pangs hit Balongi school hard

Kulwinder Sangha 

Mohali, May 16

The uphill task of providing mid-day meals on time even if rations do not reach the school , a shortage of rooms and class benches, lack of cool drinking water during the summer and broken windowpanes in the building are making life at Government High School  in  Balongi village both irksome and daunting. 

Surprisingly, the school has not received ration supplies for two months for the midday meals, compelling teachers to spend from their own pocket to buy vegetables, pulses, etc, and take wheat and rice on credit from a depot holder in the area.

The Tribune team visited the school and found a shed with a tin roof is used for serving mid-day meals to the students. It not only becomes insufferably hot under it in the summer but its roof, too, leaks when it rains. At times, rainwater collects under it, making it difficult for the children to have their meals there. 

Although the availability of drinking water is not a problem, some children rely on their own bottles of water brought from home. The reason: water from a tank for the purpose becomes uncomfortably warm to drink in the hot weather. 

The school, with 532 students on its rolls, has also to contend with a shortage of rooms. Classes are held in a community centre building on the school premises and even in the school library. 

The flooring of the science laboratory, library room and the area outside these is in need of repairs. Teachers say the institution gets a yearly grant of Rs 17,000, which is far too little for the maintenance of the building.

Regrettably, villagers do not pitch in and do their part to assist the school.  In fact, when the sewer system gets blocked in the area and foul water enters the school premises, teachers have to make efforts at their own level to get the blockage cleared.

The school also does not have a safai sewak and maintaining cleanliness on the premises, especially the toilets, is a major problem. 

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