BICHOLIM: When students of two government primary schools in Kudchirem-Bicholim returned to school for the new academic year on Thursday, little did they realise that classes on the first day would be conducted at a nearby temple and house.
Believe it or not, both schools were without a roof on account of delayed repair work and the rains on Thursday had flooded all rooms, making it impossible to enter the schools.
This was the plight of students at the government primary schools at Naiginium-Kudchirem and Paltadwada-Bicholim, leaving parents, the PTAs and locals fuming at the lethargic attitude of the education department in ensuring that both schools were fully repaired ahead of the new academic year.
According to sources, work to repair the roof at both primary schools had been taken up shortly after the schools had ended their previous academic year and had broken up for the summer vacations.
It was assumed that the repair work would have been completed before the start of the new academic year.
The roof at both schools remain opened due to the delayed repair work and when rains struck Bicholim taluka on Thursday, all rooms at both schools were flooded with rainwater.
When parents took their children to school on the first day of the new academic year, they were shocked to see the condition of the schools.
To make matters worse, the school benches were left out in the open and became wet with the rainwater.
Left with no option, students from the Government primary school at Naiginium-Kudchirem were shifted to a nearby temple, while students of the Government primary school at Paltadwada-Bicholim were shifted to a nearby house, as both students attended classes in different premises.
The upset PTA members insisted that the education department should have ensure adequate infrastructure at both schools and demanded that the State government gives more importance to education at the primary level.
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Livid CM orders
completion of
work in 8 days
BICHOLIM: Expressing shock over the condition of the two government primary schools in Kudchirem-Bicholim, a livid Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said he was upset that the contractors had not completed the repair work ahead of the new academic year. When contacted, Dr Sawant said directions have been issued to authorities to ensure that the repair work is completed within eight days.
Meanwhile, local MLA Zantye also voiced concern in the matter and directed the education department to take urgent steps to ensure that both schools are repaired at the earliest.
