Students Shiver | Government schools grapple with lack of infrastructure, poor winter facilities

Srinagar, Nov 10: The students enrolled in government schools across Kashmir find themselves shivering due to the inadequate infrastructure plaguing their educational institutions in the backdrop of the approaching winter months.

The official records reveal a grim reality, particularly in towns and remote frontier districts, where most government schools lack even the basic facilities for the students.

Over the past few days, a noticeable decline in school enrollment has been witnessed, with students opting to stay home due to the deplorable condition of school infrastructure.

The majority of government schools in Kashmir lack proper windows and doors, leaving classrooms exposed to the harsh winter.

Furthermore, students are forced to sit on the floor, as there is no proper seating arrangement, exacerbating the challenges faced by both teachers and pupils.

Notably, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) ordered a change in school timings for the winter months.

However, the department is grappling with a significant challenge – the absence of adequate infrastructure in schools.

Teachers are struggling to convince students to attend school, as the lack of proper heating arrangements and ventilation makes classrooms inhospitable.

“Broken doors and windows compound the problem. The students do not turn up for school,” said a middle school teacher posted in the Boniyar area of Baramulla district.

The accommodation crisis adds another layer of difficulty for the students, as many schools are overcrowded.

In most schools, a single shabby room is crammed with students from more than two classes.

“In summers, we would manage to take classes in the open, but during winter months, it becomes so challenging for us to accommodate the students,” said a teacher from Kupwara, who wished not to be named.

Similar complaints poured in from other districts, painting a picture of a systemic crisis in the School Education Department (SED).

A recent government analysis revealed that over 50 percent of schools, especially those in remote and hilly areas, face significant infrastructure gaps, marking a major weakness in the education sector in Kashmir.

The report sheds light on the delay in completing development works, including the construction of new school buildings or additional classrooms, sanctioned by the government to strengthen school infrastructure.

According to the analysis, these delays are attributed to the challenging hilly terrain and adverse climatic conditions prevalent in snowbound areas.

Another school teacher from the Baramulla district said that the plight of students in government schools has remained a pressing concern due to the lack of infrastructure which has jeopardised the education of children.

“The department has provision to provide heating facilities for students in exams which were earlier held in November to December but there are no provisions for routine schooling in winter months,” the teacher said.

A top official said that the department was aware of the issue but there was no provision, as such, in place to overcome the problem faced by the students during winter months.

“There are over 10,000 schools in Kashmir and it is impossible to provide heating arrangements to all these institutions. This problem has been there and the situation continues like this every year. We manage it in November and announce winter vacations from December,” he said.

Director of School Education Kashmir, Tasaduq Hussain Mir recently said that the weather was currently fine and the temperature had not dropped below freezing.

“Our primary focus is on educating our students and ensuring a complete academic session for them. We aim to cover 210 to 220 days in the academic calendar, and there are still days left to fulfill this requirement,” he told media persons days after changing school timing for winter months.

“The current weather conditions are favourable,” he said.