Learning in limbo: Garkhal’s little learners brave the odds

Childhood seems to be slipping through the cracks — quite literally — for 72 students of Government Elementary School, Garkhal. Two years after their school building was severely damaged by torrential rains in 2023, the children continue to study in a cramped, makeshift setup inside the local panchayat bhawan.

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Without any alternative accommodation, the students — ranging from pre-primary to Class V — are huddled into a single hall and a tiny adjacent room. The school, short-staffed and overstretched, functions with just two teachers juggling the near-impossible task of handling all six classes simultaneously. Noise, space constraints and a lack of basic infrastructure have made even routine teaching a struggle.

The temporary facility lacks even the basic furniture. With no room to place chairs or tables, the school has been unable to admit new students. “We simply don’t have the space,” said Renu Kumari, currently officiating as the head teacher. “Even the learning materials we do have—like projectors, a computer and a television—are rarely used because there’s no safe space to operate them.” Most of the educational aids lie packed away, their purpose defeated by the circumstances.

The library books are locked in cupboards. The television and projector, once intended to make lessons engaging, now gather dust. The single computer is packed up after brief use each day to protect it from potential damage in the unsecured setting.

To make matters worse, the school hasn’t had a head teacher since April, after the previous one was transferred. A state-level freeze on staff transfers has stalled the appointment of a replacement. With a small ground located right beside a road and no boundary wall, the teachers even take turns during lunch to guard the children.

Though Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri laid the foundation stone for renovation on May 13, 2024, work has yet to begin. A sum of Rs 20 lakh was sanctioned and drawings prepared back in 2023, but visible progress remains elusive.

The original school building, once the heart of this learning space, is now a shell of despair. Cracks mar all six rooms and gaping crevices snake through the walls and pillars. The retaining walls lean precariously, the passageway is sinking and the entire structure stands as a grim monument to official apathy.

Despite all odds, the two devoted teachers close each day with a small ground activity. It’s not just a routine — it’s their way of ensuring that learning, even in chaos, does not stop.