TIRUCHY: Generally, when we think of government schools, we picture rundown buildings with shoddy infrastructure. Though the situation is changing in many places, a government higher secondary school in Sirugambur near Samayapuram easily falls into this stereotype. Only the staff room as you enter the school is neatly painted and stands tall. The classrooms are just open structures, with no walls, doors or benches for students to sit. Neither are there lights or fans. There is no tiling on the floors. Students have to sit for their entire class. The school has classes from 6 to 12 and all sections from Classes 6 to 8 are conducted in these open classrooms.
“This has been the condition since I joined this school 10 years ago. Students find it very difficult and we feel very bad for them. During rain, we just have to ask them to move to a closed classroom,” said a teacher.
Government rules say each school must have a proper building and clean toilets. But the toilets in this school are filthy and some are not even functional.
Girls have to cover their noses as they enter the toilets. Younger girls go out in the open behind the toilet building. Some senior girls say they do not go to the toilet at all for the seven to eight hours they are in school. They also do not have any proper space to dispose of sanitary pads. “I only use the toilet at home as the one in school is horrible,” said a Class 12 student.
The school was built in 1962 and most classrooms were built at that time. But newer classrooms also lie in a state of neglect. The school, which offers Computer Science for Classes 11 and 12, has only seven computers for 130 students. “It is difficult for us to prepare for practicals with just seven computers. We have asked for more computers but nothing has come so far,” said a student.
The students come for Sirugambur and nearby villages and their parents are mostly daily wage workers and farmers. “The students are very good and hardworking.
They produce excellent results. We just need to give them good classrooms,” said a teacher.
The students are fed under the midday meal scheme. But even the condition of the building where the meals are cooked is poor. The tiled roof is completely damaged and the `kitchen’ is practically in the open. Meals are cooked on a firewood stove. “We got two LPG cylinders in 2002, but never got any refill after that. During rains, we get completely drenched and food gets wasted,” said the woman who cooks the meals.
The school has almost 800 students from Classes 6 to 12. Students have little exposure to extracurricular activities. Despite having a huge ground, they only play kabaddi or kho-kho during their physical education classes. There is no arts, crafts, music or dance. The headmaster has recently joined and said he is trying his best to get things changed.
When we asked the students about the school, pat came the reply, “We just need a good toilet.”