P ortuguese-era primary school at Gaondogrem is in dire straits. The building, housing four classes in one room with rusted pipes which support the asbestos sheets which are equally bad, poses danger to the 15 students and the lone teacher who combines as headmistress, clerk, and teacher, is in need of urgent attention.

The locals residing near this govt primary school (GPS) located at Sristal, a remote area in Gaondogrem, Canacona told Herald that this building was built before Goa got liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961 and Portuguese medium education was being imparted to the locals from primeiro (first) till quarto (fourth) grau. After liberation it was converted into Marathi medium school. The building, constructed by the Portuguese which has an attached washroom with European WC and a wash basin, is in excellent condition. However, it cannot be used as the drain lines have choked up and now students are using newly built wash rooms separately for boys and girls. It also has an office which has remained locked for some time as it seems that the lone teacher is not finding time to leave the students and sit in the office. 

There are four classes, with 15 students from Std I to IV in Marathi medium with 3 students in Std I, 5 students in Std II, 5 students in Std III and two students in the Std IV.

Ulhas Madiwal, a responsible citizen of this village panchayat, spoke to Herald and said all four classes are manned by a single teacher in this GPS. Another teacher to teach English subject comes to the school thrice a week.

 While pointing out at the weak roofing of the school he says the asbestos cement sheets which are normally 6 mm in thickness have become thin due to normal wear and tear and the hooks used to keep them in place are rusted and missing at some places. If anyone climbs on the asbestos sheets there is a fear that the whole roof may collapse.

If proper and urgent maintenance work is not carried out on priority the whole building may cave in and injure the students, he said.

The students enrolling in the school have dropped drastically as parents fear for the safety of their wards and are sending their kids to other schools nearby.

Sources told Herald that the GSIDC is made aware of the precarious situation the building is in through correspondence by Directorate of Education on various occasions but nothing is being done. The same unsafe building is also being used as a polling booth of ward No. 5 of the Gaondogrem Panchayat during elections.

When asked why the classes can't be shifted to the adjacent unused one room building built about 15 years back, the teacher says that its flooring is too bad and the windows are improper.