Learning takes a hit, Sirsa students forced to study in temples, sheds

At Shakkar Mandori village of Nathusari Chopta block, three government schools — a girls' middle school, a girls' primary school, and a primary school — remain waterlogged, even after schools reopened on Wednesday following a long monsoon break. With classrooms filled with 3-4 ft of water and sewage seeping in from nearby toilets, the school grounds have turned into a breeding ground for disease.

A total of 152 children are enrolled in the three schools, but none of them are currently attending classes in the school buildings. Instead, teachers have shifted classes to local temples, where students sit on the floor while lessons are conducted.

“Every year, this happens. Our schools flood, and we’re left with no choice but to teach children in temples or under makeshift sheds,” said Rajesh Mahiya, incharge of the girls' middle school. “The water has not only made the school unusable, but also is putting the building structure at risk.”

Despite repeated complaints in previous years, no permanent drainage solution has been implemented, forcing students and teachers to adapt to unsafe and unhygienic conditions, said Ram Krishan, a local villager.

Meanwhile, just a few kilometres away, at Roopawas village, Government Senior Secondary School — recently upgraded to a PM SHRI School — is struggling with its own crisis. Though the school serves over 800 students from six villages, including Nirbaan, Raipur, and Barasari, the infrastructure is crumbling.

Of 30 classrooms, seven have been declared unsafe and nine are severely damaged. Last week, part of a roof collapsed during heavy rain, prompting the emergency shifting of students to open spaces or makeshift sheds.

“In the rainy season, we’re forced to cram two classes into a single room to ensure children stay dry,” said Principal Kamaljeet Singh. “It affects their learning, but we have no option.”

The school administration has submitted multiple requests to the education department for new classrooms, but no action has been taken. Local leaders, including former sarpanch Ramswaroop Aulakh and school management committee president Ramesh Tholia, have warned that if the issue is not resolved soon, the community may launch protests.

Parents and community members say the situation reflects a deeper crisis in rural education, where schools are often upgraded on paper but continue to lack the most basic infrastructure.