Unsafe schools in Kullu's Tirthan valley

Children of Pekhri gram panchayat in the Tirthan valley of Kullu district are forced to study under temporary tin sheds after their school building was declared unsafe, raising serious concerns over their safety and future.

At Government Middle School, Nahin, 21 students are at present attending classes under three tin sheds while a fourth shed is being used as an office. The building of this school was declared unsafe last year but local villagers say that concrete action to demolish the unsafe structure and construct a permanent replacement is still awaited.

The villagers say that the school was upgraded from primary to middle level in 2006 and a new building was constructed in 2014. However, within a few years, the condition of the building deteriorated significantly, raising concern over the safety of students and teachers.

Lobhu Ram, a local resident and social activist who had earlier been the president of the School Management Committee, says that the Education Department in Kullu has been informed about the condition of the school building. However, it is yet to provide a permanent solution to the problem, he adds.

“The school has been running under temporary tin sheds. Children need a safe and proper learning environment but the issue has not been resolved despite the authorities concerned being given information repeatedly,” he says.

The situation in Government Primary Schools at Pekhri-1 and Pekhri-2 is also a cause for concern. Villagers say that both schools lack adequate and safe space for students. At Government Primary School, Pekhri-2, the existing old building is in a poor condition and need to be demolished and replaced with a new one. The school at present has only one teacher.

Yagya Chand Jufra, a local resident, says that the condition of the government school building at Pekhri-2 is very poor and new infrastructure is urgently required to provide proper educational facilities to children.

Villagers say that the deteriorating school infrastructure is also having a wider impact on local families. Lobhu Ram says that several parents have been compelled to move to nearby markets and rent rooms there so that their children could continue with their education. Some families, he adds, are doing daily wage work to meet additional educational expenses.

Neel Chand, vice-pradhan of Pekhri panchayat, says that the condition of the dilapidated building at Government Middle School, Nahin, is particularly concerning as students regularly move and play around it. “The sudden collapse of the school building can prove fatal for students. It should be demolished without delay in the interest of public safety and a new school building must be constructed at the earliest,” he adds.

KL Sharma, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Gushaini, says that he is aware of the matter and has done correspondence with the Elementary Education Department, Kullu.

Gian Chand, Deputy Director (Elementary Education), Kullu, says that the Public Works Department has been asked to conduct a survey of the Nahin school building for the demolition decision. “Once the survey report is received, the next course of action will be taken,” he adds.

School Management Committee president Sunder Singh says that Banjar MLA Surender Shourie has been requested to raise the matter during the Vidhan Sabha session to bring it to the notice of the state government.

The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by schools in remote hill areas, where deteriorating infrastructure can directly affect children’s safety and access to education. The villagers have urged the government and the Education Department to treat the issue on priority and ensure safe school buildings, adequate facilities and quality education for children in remote areas.