RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Government schools in tribal and remote areas of Rampachodavaram and Chinturu divisions of Polavaram district continue to face severe infrastructure deficiencies despite repeated promises of improvement. Many buildings taken up under the Nadu-Nedu programme remain incomplete due to a shortage of funds, affecting the learning environment of hundreds of students.
At Pandirimamidi village in Rampachodavaram mandal, a tribal primary school constructed under the scheme lacks plastering, doors. Teachers are forced to conduct classes under difficult conditions, while students study without adequate classroom facilities.
In Etapaka mandal, the Zilla Parishad High School at Nandigamapadu, with more than 100 students, has only two toilets. The school kitchen remains poorly equipped, and midday meals are still prepared on traditional firewood stoves.
The situation is equally alarming in Maredumilli mandal, where several tribal welfare and mandal parishad schools, including those at Gudisa, Pamulamamidi-2, Turrawada, Vejuwada, and Gondiwada, continue to function without permanent buildings.
In some villages, classes are conducted in temporary sheds as construction remains unfinished. Similar conditions prevail in Gundala and Kapavaram villages in Yetapaka mandal and in Pedduru and Dorachintalapalem schools in Maredumilli mandal. At the ZP High School in VR Puram, roof leakages during the rainy season disrupt classes and damage laboratory facilities.
Students often face difficulties due to an inadequate number of desks and benches. Nearly 200 students at the Tribal Ashram School in Y Ramavaram are forced to learn in congested classrooms because of insufficient infrastructure.
Parents and residents have urged the government to complete pending work and provide basic facilities to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment. Although Polavaram district has 922 educational institutions across its 11 mandals, including government, private, aided, Eklavya, KGBV, Mini Gurukula, and Tribal Ashram schools, the condition of many elementary and high schools, especially in tribal areas, remains deplorable. Inadequate infrastructure and unfinished buildings continue to affect students’ education.
Speaking to TNIE, Polavaram District Education Officer Sri Ramamurthy said that after the formation of Polavaram district, school records, teacher bifurcation details, and transfer records are yet to be handed over from the Paderu DEO office, which currently maintains administrative records.
He acknowledged that many tribal schools are in poor condition and said a comprehensive inspection of all schools would be taken up shortly.
“Once the records are received, we will assess infrastructure deficiencies, prepare proposals and submit them to the Education Department.
We do not intend to waste time and will move quickly to address the issues,” the DEO said. Parents and tribal communities hope the promised action will finally translate into better learning conditions for children in the agency areas.