From Our Correspondent
KHARKUTTA, Jan 27: The Darang Rongru Ad-hoc UP School in North Garo Hills remains in a state of severe neglect, with its infrastructure reportedly untouched by repairs for over 50 years.
Built in 1969 and granted ad-hoc status in 1971, the four-room Assam-type building has deteriorated to the point of being hazardous. The school currently employs four teachers but has only 27 students—a significant drop from previous years when the infrastructure was functional.
Located in Dokongsi village under the Kharkutta C&RD Block, the school serves a community of over 200 households.
A visit to the site revealed rotting doors, missing windows, and damaged flooring.
“We used to have a healthy student count, but parents now avoid the school due to its condition, often traveling miles further to educate their children,” the headmaster said.
He noted that despite the school’s dilapidated state, it continues to serve as an official polling station.
Education is frequently disrupted by weather, as the leaking roof makes the building unusable during the monsoon or high winds. “We have to immediately leave the school and run for safety during storms,” the headmaster added.
Despite several applications to district education authorities and local representatives, no funds have been sanctioned for renovation. Furthermore, the school lacks functional sanitation; a toilet construction project initiated years ago was left incomplete.
The school management has appealed to the state government to intervene and provide a new building to ensure the safety and education of local children.
