The century-old government primary school located in the heart of Hassanabdal is in pathetic condition. Its building is crumbling and faulty and dangerous electricity system poses a constant threat to the lives of over 400 students who sit on bare floor.

The condition of the school has made the Punjab government’s education reform programme, which promises education for all, a mere sloganeering.

The school situated just opposite to Gurdawara Punja Sahib and in the vicinity of Hassanabdal Cadet College.

During a visit to the school it was observed that maintenance work at the school has not been carried out since its establishment before partition as roofs and walls of almost all classrooms are in dilapidated condition, which speaks volumes about the apathy of the officials of the education department.

Teachers say the building has been in dilapidated condition since long, but the October 2005 earthquake caused a great damage rendering it unfit for use.

They said the education department paid no attention to the cracks the building has developed in the earthquake, posing a constant threat to the lives of the students as well as teachers.

There is no playground facility and massive multistory construction around the building has made fresh air and sunlight almost inaccessible to the school. According to the school administration, most of the students especially toddlers fall ill by sitting on naked floor in winter which also results in increased dropout ratio.

It was observed that classes of I and II are over-crowded and students were compelled to sit in a small rooms.

Talking to this reporter a Class II student, Aabid Khan said he suffered cold thrice in rainy season because he had to sit on bare floor in harsh winter season. He said after every rainy spell children got sick as it become impossible for them to sit on floor without rugs.

Fahad Ali, a Class I student said that he was charged Rs5 for Red Crescent Society fund but he had no money to purchase his school uniform. Most of the students said that they had to visit their houses to attend the call of the nature as single washroom could not cope with over 400 students.

The teachers of the school said that they were forced to teach the students under the cracked roofs and inside damaged walls of the school building.

Despite repeated appeals by the teachers and parents of the students, neither the provincial government nor district education authorities concerned had taken any step to repair the building.

When contacted Mohammad Yousaf, headmaster of the school said the school administration had also sent countless reminders and requests to the education department authorities but without result. Responding a question, Mr Yousaf
said that students studying in the school belonged to poor class.

When contacted Deputy District Officer (education) Akram Zia admitted that the school was in poor condition.

He said the school administration had sent many letters to the education department drawing their attention towards the shabby condition of the building and missing facilities and a sum of Rs45 million had been sanctioned but the amount had not been released for want of funds.

Responding to a question he said Rs5 had been charged on the directives of Punjab government. He expressed the hope that work on the provision of missing facilitates at the school would begin by the start of next academic year.

News Source: http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/27/hassanabdal-primary-school-in-pathetic-condition.html