500 school buildings in bad shape in Anantapur

Anantapur: More than 50 per cent of government schools in the district have not been covered so far under 'Nadu-Nedu' school buildings renovation programme. At least 500 of the school buildings spread over most of the mandals in the district are in a dilapidated state. Classes are conducted in buildings that are in a precarious state.

As on today, 1,200 schools have been renovated and given a corporate facelift while 1,500 school buildings will be covered under the second phase. However, 500 of 1,500 school buildings needed urgent attention. Padmavathi, a parent of four children studying in government school in Madakasira told The Hans India that while some students are enjoying new look of their school buildings, many school buildings had not been covered under Nadu-Nedu. All these school buildings should have been developed at one go during the Covid pandemic period.

It is dangerous to function schools in dilapidated buildings during rainy season. Way back in 2016, the then Collector Kona Sasidhar ordered MPDOs of all mandals to identify school buildings that are in bad shape in the context of a death of a schoolboy caused by a roof collapse in a private school. But the instruction was not carried out as funds are needed to raze down such buildings. Some classrooms in certain buildings are in bad shape with roof patches collapsing now and then. For that matter even municipal corporation school buildings also are in a bad shape. In the past schoolchildren escaped unhurt when the roof patches of the classroom collapsed and luckily the children were all outside the school building.

In-charge District Education Officer Ranga Swamy told The Hans India that every care is being taken for the safety of schoolchildren in school buildings that are in bad shape. Such classrooms will not be used but discarded and alternative arrangements will be made. Already mandal development officers have been alerted in this regard. Shortly the buildings that are in a dilapidated condition will be given top priority for covering them under the second phase of Nadu-Nedu programme.

On adhering to standard operating procedures under Covid protocols, he said that except for 2 students found to be having Covid symptoms in a local school, there are no complaints of students having Covid symptoms anywhere.

Asked if Covid tests have been conducted on schoolchildren before reopening of schools, he said that it involves earmarking of funds for such a massive exercise. Only KGBV residential schools had resorted to such an exercise as the schools being residential in nature cannot take a risk. Besides they had funds to undertake such an exercise. The in-charge DEO added that even 96 per cent of teachers had been vaccinated. He revealed that regular DEO Samuel who tested Covid positive is under treatment.