Students meet DC, demand school building construction

Students of the Government Middle School, Padharani, under Banjar subdivision of Kullu district, along with their parents, approached the Deputy Commissioner’s office yesterday to seek urgent attention to the lack of a school building and sufficient teaching staff. The school, which has been without a proper building for over eight years, is currently facing immense difficulty in providing education to its students.

The students, along with members of the School Management Committee, gathered at the Deputy Commissioner’s office to highlight the issue.

Balbir Thakur, president of School Management Committee, stated that the current school structure is inadequate for the growing number of students. The institution, which serves students in grades VI to VIII, has a total of 26 students but has been functioning with only a single teacher for the last five years, making it difficult for the teacher to manage three different classes simultaneously.

"The absence of a dedicated school building has been a hindrance in the academic progress of the students. The school was supposed to have its new building constructed after a foundation stone was laid in 2016 by the late minister Karan Singh. However, despite the passing of eight years, there has been no progress in the construction of the building and the school still operates in a temporary set up," he remarked.

The parents of the students expressed their concerns over the future of their children with the lack of a proper school building and adequate teaching staff.

Deputy Commissioner of Kullu Torul S Ravish assured them that the necessary formalities for the construction of the school building would be completed. She said that the Education Department has been directed to initiate the construction process soon, addressing the long-standing issue faced by the school.