Teachers take classes in the single classroom of Mithapur Farm Primary School in Patna. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Over 300 students in three government schools continue to struggle in one classroom, a year after the education department had promised to make better arrangements for them.

Not very far from the recently concluded state’s centenary celebrations at Gandhi Maidan, students of Mithapur Farm Primary School, New Sinha Modern Middle School and Chandpur Bela Primary School, attend classes in the same room, at different hours though.

The Telegraph in its March 15, May 23, May 27 and November 22 editions in 2011 had reported the inhuman condition of the classroom from where these three schools have been functioning. When The Telegraph visited the school recently, it found no improvement in the scenario. The schools are run under the centrally sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

The teachers as well as the children are worried because summer is barely a few days away.

“In the backdrop of complete absence of willingness on the part of the education department to develop infrastructure for the schools, the students and the teachers of three schools are forced to carry on in inhuman conditions. Rs 22,000 is received for the annual development of the three schools but the amount is released under specific heads like purchase of furniture. A storm had shattered the asbestos roof of the classroom in May last year. The staff, along with the students, raised money and put up another aluminium sheet after two months,” said Akhilesh Kumar Sinha, the headmaster of New Sinha Modern Middle School.

He pointed out that over 300 students are enrolled in these three schools.

Employees of the three schools said the students mostly hail from surrounding areas, including Mithapur Farm, Purandharpur, New Bengali Tola, Mithapur Bee area and Jakkanpur.

The classroom comprises just 12 chairs and 10 benches. There is no staff room for the 14 teachers.

“The school does not have any water supply connection or a hand pump. Students are forced to bring water from home. Moreover, there are six lady teachers and hundreds of girl students but there is not a single toilet. Therefore, it becomes difficult whenever anyone has to attend the call of nature,” Kamalawati Devi, principal in-charge of Chandpur Bela Primary School, told The Telegraph.

Even the students of the three schools are aggrieved at the dismal condition.

“We feel suffocated during summer, as there is no fan and the hot winds keep blowing in the afternoon. The wall can collapse anytime. During the examination, the students have to sit in the open under the scorching sun,” said Juli Kumari, a Class VII student of New Sinha Modern Middle School.

Assurances for a change in situation, however, continued as they had since June last year.

Anjani Kumar Singh, the principal secretary of state education department, said he has issued instructions to the district education officer to look into the matter, just as he had done in June last year.

“We had asked the district education officer, Patna, to identify such schools, which lack basic infrastructure, including buildings. About 25 to 30 such schools have been identified in the state capital, including Mithapur Farm Primary School, New Sinha Modern Middle School and Chandpur Bela Primary School. These schools would be closed and everything will be shifted to new buildings,” he said.

The principal secretary promptly organised the lavish Bihar Divas celebrations, but the schools, it seems, are not that urgent for the department.