SRINAGAR: The Government Middle School, Sheikh Mohalla Saidapora, in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, is facing an acute shortage of space, forcing teachers to conduct classes outdoors. The single-storey, dilapidated structure is unable to accommodate the growing number of students, leaving many without proper classroom facilities.
Locals said the school has been functioning in its current condition for years, with repeated appeals to the authorities yielding no result. “During rains, most students stay home as the classrooms leak and there’s no shelter outside,” a resident said.
Teachers said that on fair-weather days, they are left with no option but to hold classes on the school’s rooftop or in the courtyard under the open sky. “It becomes impossible to manage lessons when it rains or snows. The building is too small and unsafe for regular use,” one of the teachers told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
Officials in the Education Department admitted the space constraints, saying that funds have already been allocated for the construction of a new school building. However, the department has so far failed to identify suitable land for the project.
“There is no land available for purchase in the immediate vicinity, which has delayed the construction process,” an official said, assuring that efforts are underway to resolve the issue at the earliest.
Meanwhile, locals of Saidapora have appealed to the district administration to intervene and ensure immediate relocation or expansion of the school premises so that students can study in a safe and dignified environment. (KNT)
