When huge sum is spent on infrastructure development in government schools, the Panchayat Union Primary School at Periyar Nagar at Muthugoundanpalayam in Modakurichi block continues to function in a single-room rented house accommodating 28 students without toilet facilities and basic amenities.

The school, which was started in 2013, started functioning at the clay-roof tiled house that has a single room and a small play area, in the absence of government building.

As many as 43 students pursued here from Class 1 to 5 in 2014 and thereafter the school strength started to decline. The school has no toilets and students were asked to use the facility at home. In the absence of drinking water facility, teachers purchase water in pots every day. Also, they had installed a fan inside the room and another fan in the veranda to help the students beat the heat during afternoon hours. The two teachers has no staff rooms and they are made to sit among the students.

Villagers said that they were demanding a new building for the school for six years now and had petitioned the district administration on various occasions. Funds were sanctioned three years ago for constructing the school. However, in the absence of poramboke land in the area, funds could not be utilised and was surrendered to the government. Since the required land could not be obtained, officials of the Education Department had proposed to merge the school with another primary school located about two km. from the area and also offered free transportation for the students.

However, parents opposed the move as they wanted a school to be located in the same area. “We have outer ring road on one side and Muthur Main Road on the other side and we cannot send our wards to another school”, said a parent Papammal. Recently, officials visited the village and asked them to arrange for the required land so that building could be constructed. However, stalemate continues as people are not ready to purchase the land or donate for the school.

Chief Educational Officer R. Balamurali told The Hindu that despite officials assuring to arrange free transportation to the nearby school, parents are not willing to send their wards.