Education takes hit as UPS Mawer Balla functions from shopping complex for over 31 years

Kupwara, Nov 29: Nestled in the foothills of Bangus Valley, Upper Primary School (UPS) Mawer Balla has been functioning for 31 years on the first storey of a shopping complex much to the disappointment of students and locals.

The school situated on the first storey of a shopping complex faces  the hustle and bustle of roadside activities creating a continuous hum that challenges the focused study environment needed for academic success.

The residents of the area are anguished against the authorities who have failed to construct a building for the school all through these years causing immense hardships for over hundred students enrolled here.

The residents said that following a fire mishap in 1993 in which the building of the school was gutted, the school was shifted to the present rented building and since then the concerned department has miserably failed to come up with a building for the school.

Parents are also anguished against authorities for failing to ensure government accommodation for their wards. They said that the present building has no space to conduct morning assembly nor does it offer enough space to conduct classes. “All nine classes are being crammed in the available four rooms which affect the smooth functioning of the school and most importantly the studies of students get affected,” said a parent.

They said that the matter has been brought into the notice of the concerned department numerous times but to no avail. “We want to ask the authorities why our children are being deprived of quality education,” they added.

The residents said that a few months ago the Roads and Building (R&B) department has started to construct a two storey four room building for the  school but due to unknown reasons, the work has been stopped. “We were happy after the construction work was started but following earth work and some concrete work, the work has been stopped due to reasons best known to authorities,” they added.

“Since the building is being constructed near Mawer Nallah, so R&B department has sought NOC from the flood control department. I want to ask them that if the building was located several hundred meters away from Mawer Nallah then what was the need for the same,” a local told Greater Kashmir.

The residents have appealed to authorities to resume the construction work so that the building could be completed in time and the hardships being faced by students may end.