Parents raise safety concerns of their children as classes begin today
PERNEM
The renovated government high school building in Agarwada-Pernem finally got a roof but the windows have still not been installed as yet, leaving many parents worried about the safety of students when classes reopen on Wednesday.
With the monsoon having arrived in the State, parents are concerned that rainwater will enter the classrooms in the absence of windows while classes are in progress.
According to locals, work to repair the government high school in Agarwada had begun on April 17 and the contractor was expected to complete the repair work within a month.
However, the work remained incomplete and the pre-monsoon showers further delayed the repair work.
Locals said the teachers had wanted the contractor to complete work on half of the building, before taking up the remaining portion, however the contractor took up the entire building at one stretch and was unable to complete the work before the rains.
The contractor had also removed the roof on a portion of the building and with the pre-monsoon showers lashing Pernem taluka, the walls of the building got soaked in the rain.
With the windows yet to be fixed in the classrooms, sources said temporary arrangements have been made for students to sit in the laboratories, sports section, library and other empty but dilapidated rooms on one side of the building.
Parents had been demanding that a new building be built at the site, as the existing building was about 50 years old. However, their demands were ignored and a fund of Rs 20 lakh was approved to repair the building.
“We were opposed to the repair of this old and dilapidated building as we wanted a new building, but authorities went ahead and began renovating this building. This renovation work is incomplete and we are concerned about the safety of our children,” said a parent.
