Officials and Leaders Enjoy AC Rooms, While students Suffer in Dangerous Classrooms

Gadwal: In the BUPS school located in the Santabazar area of Aija, Jogulamba Gadwal district, classrooms have been deteriorating for nearly ten years. The building, which was constructed about 100 years ago, is falling apart. Teachers are confused and anxious — should they focus on teaching the children or worry about the collapsing structure that threatens to claim lives at any moment? Students are forced to sit in these hazardous rooms, not knowing if or when their lives might be cut short by a sudden collapse. This dire situation is reminiscent of news stories we've heard about the tragic school collapse in Tamil Nadu that killed several students.

Despite numerous pleas to officials and leaders, the response has been akin to blowing a conch in front of a deaf person — there's been no action. While government employees protest and block roads for better salaries, and politicians hold strikes and rallies for their personal gain, it seems no one cares about these innocent children, their safety, or their education. Parents of the students are deeply distressed, questioning if anyone cares about their children's lives. "Doesn't the mandal officer even have time to visit the school and assess its condition?" they ask, noting that the officer is responsible for two or three mandals, making it seem like the school is not a priority.

The State of Leadership

The current leaders appear uninterested in the issues of education and healthcare. While they have time to attend birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations, it seems there's no time to address the dilapidated schools and hospitals. Have any leaders visited crumbling schools or taken action to improve these vital institutions? People are growing increasingly critical, feeling that their basic needs — like education and healthcare — are being ignored. Education and healthcare are supposed to be the foundation of a strong nation, not neglected institutions. Intellectuals warn that today's children, who will become tomorrow’s citizens, are suffering from a broken education system, both in terms of infrastructure and quality.

The public is urging the government to protect and improve these "temples of education," as for many poor families, government schools are their only hope for a brighter future.