Govt. school building in T. Kallupatti in need of renovation to check antisocial activities
The old building at the Panchayat Union Primary School at Kollaveeranpatti in T. Kallupatti block which is misused by some local people for antisocial activities.
| Photo Credit: G. Moorthy
One of the two buildings of the Panchayat Union Primary School at Kollaveeranpatti in T. Kallupatti block in Madurai district, which is more than 60 years old, is in immediate need of renovation as it has turned into a joint for antisocial activities for some local people.
The school which once had a student strength of about 120 has only 14 students now due to the emergence of new private and government schools in Peraiyur and Kallikudi.
Sources in the Education Department said though the student strength was good a few years ago, parents’ preference to enrol their children in schools which had classes from Kindergarten to Class XII had brought down the numbers in the village school.
The school, which had been functioning in the old building, moved to the new building a few years ago, and classes and other activities were now conducted there, a source said.
Though the old building poses no threat of collapsing, the condition of the building deteriorated, following which it was abandoned.
Slowly, some local people started entering the old building for antisocial activities. A local administration employee, on condition of anonymity, said though the teachers locked the school gate and the door of the old building, it could not stop the trespassers.
Teachers were, however, afraid of lodging a police complaint, fearing repercussion from the public, he added.
An Education Department official said as the student strength was poor at the school, the local administration was hesitant to initiate renovation works. “What they say about student strength is true, but antisocial activities can be checked only if the building is put to regular use,” the official added.
The official said they had given a representation to the Block Development Officer for the renovation of the building.
A block-level official said proposals for new buildings for a few other schools in the block had been sent. “As the student strength is less here, we are planning just to repair the damaged portions so that the school management can use the building for administrative works,” he added.
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