Mumbai: Locals threaten to withdraw wards from new CIDCO school

The new school by CIDCO in Mumbai. (Express photo)

Claiming the new school by the City Industrial and Development Corporation (CIDCO) for those affected by the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) lacks basic facilities, locals have threatened to withdraw their wards.

On Monday, residents met authorities from Raigad district and asked for a meeting with CIDCO. Locals claim that the school lacks basic facilities for even conducting classes.

“Since a month that the school started, students are facing difficulties. The CIDCO has appointed no guard or cleaner for the school. We are also facing water issues in the school,” Prem Patil, resident of Kopar village in Navi Mumbai said.

Inaugurated in June, as many as 500 students from villages including Kopar,Chinchpada and Waghivaliwada left their Zilla Parishad schools and joined the new school. As locals were delaying evacuation, CIDCO had proposed shutting the Zilla Parishad schools and had asked students to shift to their new school.

Despite not having shifted, locals had started to send their children to the new school as teachers from their Zilla Parishad school had started to teach in the new school. However, teachers in the new school had complained of lack of basic facilities, including blackboards and benches to provide decent education to students. Anganwadi helps had also complained against lack of infrastructure in toilets and kitchen facilities. “The school lacks several basic facilities. They have provided buses to transport our children but they get so cramped every day that our children are unable to travel comfortably in it,” said Karan Bhoir, member school committee, Kohli village.

The Block Development Officer and members from Raigad district authorities are expected to meet CIDCO officials on August 3 for the issue.