DINDIGUL: Despite the inauguration of a government primary school in Purailiputhur six months ago, teachers were not assigned to the facility, forcing social activists to start taking classes on Tuesday. Parents, volunteers and students arrived in large numbers at the school located in Natham block in Dindigul district.
Various sources said, as there are no primary schools in Paraliputhur, children end up travelling by an non-motorable road for more than 2 km to the Government Higher Secondary School in Parali, which has a strength of 134 students. After submitting several petitions, the education department built a large building in Paraliputhur for classes 1 to 5 in 2023, at a cost of Rs 38 lakh. The strength was estimated to be 66 children.
Speaking to TNIE, Paraliputhur Panchayat president T Vellaithai said, "There is a Government Higher Secondary School in Parali, where classes 1-10 were being conducted. However, three classrooms (classes 1-5) were demolished after it became dilapidated. The new primary school was constructed in Paraliputhur in December, 2023.
The distance between the higher secondary school in Parali and the new primary school in Paraliputhur is more than 2 km. Six months ago, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarapani inaugurated the facility. But no teachers were allocated and no one arrived to take classes. Hence, parents and social activists took matters into their own hands and started classes."
Panchayat Vice president K Poosari said, "The purpose of the new building is to help kids (ages 3 to 7) to attend classes in their locality as there is no proper road facility in the 2 km stretch to Paraliputhur. Despite several requests from parents to teachers at the higher secondary school in Parali, nobody arrived at the new primary school to take classes."
An education department official said, "We have deputed Block Education Officer (Natham Zone 2) to inspect the situation. There is a delay in the execution of infrastructure works. Though the building was constructed last year, amenities including compound wall and toilets are yet to be constructed. Hence, proper allocation of teachers is yet to be done."