Two anganwadis in Priol ‘shifted’ to residential premises

Nirgosh Gaude | NT

Ponda: With slow pace of repair work of government primary schools, two anganwadis in Priol are presently running from private houses since last week. These are the cases of Apewal and Magilwada government primary schools, of which one is almost without a roof due to ongoing construction work.

As per information, the delay in starting the construction work of the primary school buildings has put students and their parents to hardship, while anganwadis have been shifted to ‘residential’ premises.

The Apewal Government Primary School in Priol is without a roof and classes for around 15 students (I to IV standard) are being conducted in a small room attached to the school building. The school has only one full-time teacher. But when second teacher comes on alternative days, classes for some students are conducted on school stage, which has a roof.

The anganwadi attached to the primary school has been shifted into a house in nearby area and classes for around 10 students are conducted in the living room of that house.

The concerned officer did not take any initiative to make alternative arrangement for conducting classes of the anganwadi. It was parents and teacher who took the initiative and requested a local to allow them to conduct the classes, stated a parent from Apewal.

Locals in the area informed that the repair work of the school has been taken up very late, almost close to onset of the monsoon. Parents had urged the concerned authorities to take up the repair work during summer holidays. But they failed to do it and it has put parents to the hardship, expressed locals.

Some locals claimed that many parents did not admit their wards in that school due to ongoing work of the school.

“No one knows how long it will take to complete the repair work, but looking at the structure, it seems we will have to wait for more than a month’s time,” a parent said.

Similarly, the Magilwada Primary School structure is under construction with a teacher conducting classes in one of the under-repair rooms. The primary school has a strength of 19 students and all students (classes I to IV) are conducted in one room. While the anganwadi attached to the school has been shifted and classes are conducted in the gallery of a neighbouring house. The anganwadi has around 10 students, but most of them have not started attending the classes due to improper premises.

A teacher informed, “The school building is almost ready to use with repair work going on at a speed. Roofing was the main issue and it has been done. Rest we are adjusting.”

“Repair work of the Magilwada Primary School had started in April soon after the election got over. But the work is not completed yet. Considering it, classes are conducted on adjustment basis by taking parents into the confidence,” informed a teacher at the school.

When contacted ADEI-Ponda, it was stated that due to model code of conduct the repair work of the schools got delayed and some of the schools are not ready as yet. “But we have asked the contractor to compete the works as early as possible.”

The concerned officer at Child Development Project office at Ponda stated that they are not aware of any anganwadi running from private houses. “If it is the case, the teacher and parents might have done some temporary arrangement,” the officer stated.