VIJAYAWADA: Students of New Rajarajeswari Pet in the city have been left in the lurch with the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials not initiating steps to make a high school functional since 2011. The high school was constructed at an estimated cost of `31.31 lakh allocated by the Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and inaugurated by former minister Galla Aruna Kumari on November 14, 2011.
The lacuna that is plaguing the school is lack of a playground, toilets and compound wall. Due to lack of basic infrastructure, the students are forced to attend classes at an elementary school adjacent to the high school. The VMC which is the governing body in the city has turned a blind eye and failed to provide basic infrastructure for the functioning of the high school.
A total of 473 students are pursuing secondary education in the school. Majority of the students belong to families that have been evicted from various locations owing to execution of developmental projects in the city. Due to official apathy, the secondary education students are forced to share the classrooms with elementary school students for many years.
As the school has not been operational for years, it has become safe haven for anti-social elements.
When TNIE interacted with the students, they said that existing elementary school premises was not sufficient to accommodate secondary education students.
“Several times, we are forced to squat on the corridors with insufficient classrooms and benches to sit. The officials should seriously look into the issue and provide necessary infrastructure for the high school as the poor conditions are hampering our spirits and spoiling our education,” said K Dheeraj, a Class IX student.
Tax Payers Association (TPA) secretary MV Anjaneyulu alleged that VMC has been lavishly spending lakhs of rupees for corporate study tour and other insignificant projects, but has not even sanctioned an amount to provide basic infrastructure for the functioning of the school over the years.
“The TPA had already taken the issue to the notice of earlier Municipal Commissioner G Veerapandian, but no initiative was taken in this regard. At least now, the corporation should open its eyes and allocate necessary funding to protect the interests of the students,” said the secretary.
‘Drain issue delayed school functioning’
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) assistant executive engineer VN Krishna Rao, when contacted, said that for many years, the project was kept on hold due to the side drain flowing adjacent to the high school. “At present, the drain has been diverted and space has been identified to construct the compound wall. Few months ago, proposals estimated at H10 lakh were sent to SSA for the construction of compound wall in the school. Soon after the allocation of funds work would commence,” said Krishna Rao.