RANIPET: Heavy overnight rain flooded the Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School at Jyothi Nagar in Arakkonam on Friday morning, forcing an unplanned holiday for its 747 students.
A holiday was initially declared for the students of classes 6 to 8. When students of classes 9 to 12 came to the school, they couldn’t cross the gate and enter the premises. On noticing the issue, headmistress of the school informed Ranipet Chief Education Officer Premalatha and declared a holiday for all classes.
Following the waterlogging, the Arakkonam municipal commissioner along with officials from the Public Works Department and tahsildar conducted an inspection at the school. Teachers and parents allege that floodwater surrounding the campus is a routine event during every monsoon season, and no permanent solution has been found to address the issue.
According to teachers, the school is situated at a lower level compared to the roads around it, and water from the roads easily drains into the premises. The headmistress said the issue has been persisting for the last two years. Teachers opined that reducing the height of the road might prevent water from draining into the school.