Bundi News: Primary School in Chhoti Teerath, Bundi, Shut Down After 22 Years; Students Forced to Cross Railway Tracks to Attend Classes
The Education Department has closed down the 22-year-old primary school at Chhoti Teerath village of Teerath Gram Panchayat in Taleda subdivision. As a result, 68 students will now have to cross the railway tracks to attend Teerath Government Senior Secondary School.
School Closure and Student Safety Concerns
As reported earlier, Chhoti Teerath Primary School was opened in 2002 and had 68 students. But, for the past four years, the school building had been in a state of neglect. The plaster on the roof started falling off, creating a dangerous situation for the students and teachers. Instead of repairing the school, the Education Department locked the main gate and asked the students to attend classes at Teerath Government Senior Secondary School, 2 km away. The attendance dropped drastically.
Local people said that the school had been open for 22 years, but the government’s neglect in maintaining infrastructure had made the building unsafe. They demanded that it be repaired and reopened in Chhoti Teerath, so that students could go there safely. The two-kilometre journey to the new school involves crossing railway tracks and a canal, and poses severe safety risks for children.
Railway Track and Canal Pose Major Risks
Residents said trains often stop on the tracks and villagers have to crawl under to cross. The canal bridge has no barriers so it is extremely dangerous for young children and any accident would be a huge disaster.
One of the parents, Vijay Kewat, said, ‘Our village has a primary school and it has been running for 22 years. There are 68 students. The building was falling apart for four years and plaster used to fall off every now and then. It was the responsibility of the administration to repair the school, but they closed it down and told the children to go 2 km to another school, which is also unsafe. If something happens to them, it will be the administration’s fault. ‘
Official Statements on the Issue
Mamta Barodiya, principal of Teerath Government Senior Secondary School, said, ‘The primary school building was in a dangerous condition. Ceiling plaster was falling from the school often. So to keep the students safe, they have been shifted to Teerath School till further orders. ’
But Mahaveer Prasad Sharma, the chief district education officer of Bundi, said, ‘We do not have any primary school named Chhoti Teerath in our records because in 2014 all primary schools were merged into secondary schools. We will check how this school was running for the past 10 years. If the villagers want a primary school in their village, they will have to ask for its de-merger. In the meantime, parents should make sure that their children reach Teerath School safely as it was closed down for security reasons. We will look into it. ’
The closure of primary school in Chhoti Teerath has worried parents and residents, who said safety reasons had forced the authorities to close the school. “But we want the school to be repaired properly and reopened to stop the young students from risking their lives every day to go to school, ” said a villager.
