Students and teachers of the Kannagi Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Villianur near here are living in constant fear of coming under the concrete slabs and girders as two floors in the south block of the 45-year-old building are in a dilapidated condition.
It becomes even more dangerous during the monsoon and the school administration has propped up wooden poles on the verandah fearing an imminent crash of the roof.
The school has over 800 children on its rolls studying from classes VI to XII.
While the students from classes VI to X are accommodated in a new block, 500 children of Plus One and Plus Two attend classes in the South Block. The school has another Thendral block, which is in a good condition. But the block is used by the Kasturba Gandhi Government College for Women.
Leaking roof
The South Block was constructed in the 1970s and all the 14 classrooms and labs for physics, chemistry and biology used by students of classes XI and XII have developed cracks on the ceiling and the roofs are leaking owing to lack of maintenance.
A teacher, on condition anonymity, said some repair works were taken up by a contractor to the south block in 2016.
“A few girders on the verandah were replaced. However, the work was suspended subsequently for want of funds,” said the teacher.
The students and teachers are under constant fear of the block crumbling down owing to its present condition. During monsoon, the school administration takes up minor repair work and clears the debris before allowing students to enter the classes.
Representations ignored
The aggrieved staff and parents narrated their woes to senior officials of the Education Department during their visit to the school last week. Repeated representations to the government were in vain, said a parent.
A senior official of the Education Department said that safety of students was of paramount importance.
If the building was in a dilapidated condition steps would be initiated to shift the students to another building, he said.