Kupwara, Mar 8: Nestled in the foothills of Bangus Valley, Government Middle School Rangwar in Drangyari area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has been functioning from tin sheds for the last two decades due to which over hundred students enrolled here have been suffering badly.
Locals are anguished with the authorities for failing to construct a building for the school. They said that even teachers also find it difficult to take the classes in the tin sheds with the result the education has been badly hit.
The residents said that the school was grappling with lack of accommodation due to which students were forced to take classes under open sky and during inclement they were crammed in the tin sheds.
“Since our village is located in one of the upper reaches of Kupwara, it receives heavy snowfall which makes things worse for the students. Almost 3 feet of snow is still present around the school and with no heating arrangements, the hardships of students have increased manifold,” a local, Mohammad Ashraf told Greater Kashmir.
The residents said that the Education Department has several times intended to construct a concrete building for the school but the Forest Department never allowed them to come up with the building citing reasons that the land belonged to them.
“I fail to understand how the Forest Department can deny permission. It is like denying education to our children. We have given several representations to the administration regarding the same but nothing has been done so far with the result our children tend to suffer continuously,” said another local.
The residents said that their hopes of seeing a concrete building have faded now because of the false promises made by the concerned officials time and again. The residents also complained about lack of staff at Government Middle School Rangwar. They said that of seven teachers, only five were performing their duties here affecting the quality of education.
Meanwhile, Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Kralpora acknowledged the hardships being faced by the students at Government Middle School Rangwar in absence of a concrete building. He said that the Forest Department was not allowing them to construct a building for the school citing reasons that the land belonged to them. “If Forest Department allows us, within a few months a building will be constructed,” he said.