Fanless classrooms, asbestos roofs make students sweat
In a direct interaction with students at Government Girls Inter College (Indira Nagar), almost 80% girls complained of lack of fans and desks in classrooms. Of all the fans, half of them were not functional SAMINA BANO, RTE crusader
LUCKNOW: The blistering heat has made life difficult for students in general and more so for children in government schools. The infrastructure of government schools in Uttar Pradesh may have seen a slight improvement in recent years, but they still lack basic facilities like regular power supply. Besides, fans are missing in many schools. With the maximum temperature hovering around 42 degree Celsius and no let-up in sight, the students are left with no option but to attend classes braving the sweltering heat.
“In a direct interaction with students at Government Girls Inter College (Indira Nagar), almost 80% girls complained of lack of fans and desks in classrooms. Of all the fans, half of them were not functional,” said RTE crusader Samina Bano, a management postgraduate from IIM Bangalore.
The situation is no better at Saraswati Girls Inter College in Narhi where the primary section (class I to V) has an asbestos roof without fans. Children are forced to sit in classes without fans or proper ventilation.
The situation is even worse at government schools in rural areas which occasionally get a few hours of power supply during the day.
“However, as the students raised their voice with us, the message was conveyed to top decision-makers. The impact was visible as the college in Indira Nagar got new desks, fans and clean classrooms,” Samina said.
RP Mishra, principal of Queens Anglo Inter College and state secretary, UP Madhyamik Sikshak Sangh, said that ensuring regular power supply and providing fans in primary schools was the least they could do to create a conducive environment for students.
“It gets difficult for children to study in government schools because of erratic power supply and no generators. The government does not charge any electricity fee from students up to class VIII. However, there is a nominal annual electricity fee (`20) realised from students of classes IX to XII,” Mishra pointed out.
In view of the rising temperature, district magistrate Raj Shekhar has changed school timings. On April 16, he had said schools up to class V should get over by 11 am and the rest by 12 noon.
“However, as parents had to wait for an extra hour for higher classes to get over, we decided that all the classes can go on form 7 am to 12 noon,” Shekhar said.
A student of government school said that the district administration should order closure of all schools. “Schools may cut short summer vacations and re-open in the third week of June after monsoon arrives,” he opined.