The students of the Panchayat Union Middle School in Thavalapatti village near Attur continued boycotting classes for the eighth day on Wednesday, in protest against the failure of the School Education Department to upgrade their school into a high school.
The students and their parents said they have been pressing the department to upgrade the school for the past four years.
The public contribution of ₹1 lakh has already been deposited to the department and there was also adequate land for the expansion of the school, they said. The students, to pursue class IX, have to go to Government High School in Paithur, which is about 12 km from Thavalapatti. The village does not have adequate bus facility from Thavalapatti and the students have to depend on their parents to reach the school.
“A majority of the students belong to the weaker sections and the parents are not in a position to drop them at the school in Paithur. And hence, many girls drop out of school after class VIII ”, the students said. The upgrade of the middle school into high school alone will solve the issue, they said. The students launched the agitation of abstaining from the classes on July 24.
CEO visits school
A. Gnanagowri, Chief Education Officer, visited the school on Monday and convinced the students and parents. However, they were stubborn on continuing the agitation till their demands were met.
The School Education Officials here said that they have been recommending the upgrade of the school for the past three years. The current development has been taken to the notice of the higher authorities, they said.