From Biplab Kr Dey
Ampati, Oct 13: Over the past few months, the poor quality of primary and middle school education has been harped about through reports in The Shillong Times with literally nothing being pushed by the state government to take stock of the situation.
Garo Hills has been at the receiving end of poor infrastructure that has crippled the education system in the primary and middle stages and this story has continued through ages. This week, we bring you many more of these schools that scream neglect in the harshest terms. These are schools from South West Garo Hills that have been forsaken by an education system that prides itself on the fact that ‘education’ is the top priority, but is it?
Gare Bokmangre SSA UP School
The Gare Bokmangre SSA UP School falls under the Ampati constituency which is being led by TMC legislator, Miani D Shira. The school is just about 5 km from the town of Ampati, the district headquarter of South West Garo Hills (SWGH).
The school at present has a student count of 25 who are being taught by 4 teachers as is the norm in UP schools across the state. The school was set up in the year 2001 with the present school having a total of 5 rooms, including one room that was recently constructed in the year 2022 at a cost of over Rs 6.5 lakh.
Interestingly it is also a polling station in the Ampati constituency (polling station number 30) and is just about 5 km from the town. Further the school falls just by the side of the Ampati-Mahendraganj Road.
As per school sources, the problems for the school began in the year 2022 when a cyclonic storm destroyed the overhead roof of the school leaving it completely at the mercy of nature.
“We can’t take classes during rains as there is no place for even the students to take shelter. The 4 rooms in the old building have open sections on the roof. The doors and windows have also taken a beating and there is seriously no protection from the wrath of nature when it pours,” said headmaster, Greten Marak.
Marak expressed his frustrations at what they have been faced with over the past 3 years in running the school.
“Firstly, we do not get any funds from the district education office to even buy chalk, forget about any form of repairs. Prior to the school going being destroyed, we had a healthy enrollment but ever since seeing the state of the school, parents and their children are refusing to send them to us despite our efforts in providing quality education and the proximity to their homes. Let’s be honest – who would send their wards in a place like this,” added another teacher.
The school recorded 17 students last year in 2024 and this year has 26. Despite the education department providing a yearly grant depending on the number of admissions, the school has not been given anything to cope with their problems.
“There is not one single door that we have knocked on to get repairs done for the school. We have met the DC on multiple occasions, the DSEO, the BDO and even the CM when he came for a political campaign. However despite our best efforts, we have had no support to rectify the condition of the school. Even the tin on the school’s verandah has completely disintegrated. Rainy days inevitably lead to holidays as children just can’t sit in any area and not be affected by the water that gets in,” informed the head master.
What has added to their woes is that the lack of proper safety within the school after the damage led to precious resources being lost during a theft in 2022. During the theft, 2 computers from the 3 they had as well as 4 24W batteries for their inverter were lost. A police complaint was filed but no progress has been made in the case which later led them to withdraw it as the expenses for appearing in Court for summons would fall on the headmaster himself.
For now, during classes, the sky is visible from all rooms in the school, including the teachers common room. The seepage of water through the roof has already caused damage to the various storage almirahs in the school. The only room that does not leak, the new classroom that was provided but the poor quality of the construction is already visible. In just 3 years, the door to the room has been partially damaged which means that security has once again gone for a toss.
“We initially wanted to keep all the important documents and valuables in the new extension. However the door is already coming apart and can be opened with just a minor pull. This has forced us to use the common room once again,” another teacher added.
The situation, for the teachers and students who come every day that nature does not interfere in, has become dire.
“The school has been given assurances that the matter would be looked into but despite the assurances, there has been nothing. Can education really be considered a priority despite the hoopla that the government is throwing? The best way to make people believe that priority is being given to education would be to walk the talk and make things happen on the ground. For now that is really not happening,” felt a local resident who came on the visit.
