Government Primary School vying for attention

Aga Syed Amin
Government Schools plagued by poor infrastructure and shortage of teachers
 Play key role in demoralizing students who otherwise cherish dreams of forging career in innovative fields.’ Government primary school for Boys and girls’, in Maharapora village in Pattan is one such glaring example.
Like most of his class mates’ 10-year-old Shahbaz aspires to become a doctor as his village has none, yet it just appears pipedream for him given the educational scenario of the school.
 "I want to become a doctor and for that matter I need rigorous guidance which is virtually impossible here,’’ he laments.
It is no surprising to find students studying under open sky   due to the dilapidated school building. The only instructional aid for these students is single tattered black board.
“Since the school building is in dilapidated state every class has to sit outside on the muddy ground in turns and study in groups,’ adds Shahbaz
The future of these children is quite uncertain as government does not bother to pay any heed towards this school. Teachers blame state government for turning deaf ear towards their plea.
'' We urged high authorities to provide us proper building and necessary school infrastructure but all in vain. It is very difficult to teach 60 students in these critical conditions,’’ acknowledged a teacher, Mohd Hamaza
The children of this school belong to low-income group families and thus it becomes difficult for students to get stationary or school uniform.
''We cannot afford a single pencil or shoes not to speak of school uniform.  Some students have to traverse long distance bare feet in order to reach school,’ says Shazia, student of 5th class
Parents too have lost faith in the educational system but are helpless to withdraw their children from the school due to poverty.  “We cannot afford better education for our children as our income is not suffice enough to keep our pots boiling,’ narrates Saja
The students are caught between devil and deep sea as on one hand they nourish dreams and on the other poverty and government apathy smashes their lofty hopes.   Hence they are left with no alternative but to suffer silently in this pathetic school environment.