Will Manacaud school have space for two bus-turned-classrooms?

Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Kids, I shrunk your play space’. Guess this is what transport minister Antony Raju will have to tell the students of Manacaud LP School, if he really goes ahead with the idea of having two buses parked in the campus to be used as classrooms. He created quite a flutter with his announcement to convert abandoned KSRTC buses to classrooms on Tuesday. A day after the declaration of what sounded like an innovative idea, TOI paid a visit to Manacaud LP School to find out why exactly it required buses to be converted to class rooms. Minister has said this school would be the first to receive two abandoned low-floor buses.
A brick tiled footpath of the school leads to two main blocks on either side. Manacaud LP School has been very dear to the city corporation over the past few years and the neatly done classrooms show the investment that has gone into the school during the previous tenures of ruling council. There is a small garden in the middle of the two blocks comprising class rooms and the remaining space is devoted to walkway.
Just as we enter through the main entrance, a small space overgrown with shrubs with a slide and swing lie on one side and at the other end is a small dining area. It seems very clear that the school already struggles to provide ample open space and play area for the kids. Why would it go for two buses that would eat up the space and in a way confine kids only to class rooms? There is a small space with bushes at the back end of the school, however with no entryway; it seemed improbable for buses to be placed there.
The school authorities seemed as clueless as we were. The headmistress seemed even far less enthused as though she just couldn’t stomach the whole idea of having buses being converted to class rooms. “I have a meeting, I am in a meeting, I have nothing to say,” thus went the reactions of the headmistress who even gestured TOI reporter to walk away. The other staff also picked the sign and chose not to respond. It is learnt that the school authorities are not at all inclined to place a request for buses to be converted to class rooms.
According to Manacaud ward councillor K K Suresh, the compound is too small to accommodate two low-floor buses. “They demolished one of the school buildings several months ago to construct a structure with more classrooms and better amenities. But, the building is yet to be restored . The school does not have a play area; instead has a garden in the middle of the compound,” he said. “Currently, the canteen area and the demolished building area are the only areas available in the school other than classrooms. They are located on both sides of the entrance. The school is in need of a building with more classes, but the KSRTC bus cannot be a solution for that. The school had never asked for buses. I believe it is an unscientific method as the low-floor buses’ windows and seating arrangement will not be convenient for children, especially for LP students,” Suresh said.
TOI tried to clarify the same with the transport minister Antony Raju, but he did not respond to the call.