NAVIN JHA
navin@herald-goa.com
BOGMALO: Schools across the state reopened for the new academic year on Monday. While most schools saw children eagerly rushing into the premises, the situation was completely different for a government primary school in Bogmalo, Mormugao.
The teachers at this school waited anxiously for their students, but none of them turned up, leaving the school to continue wearing its deserted look. Even worse, the school authorities have no clue whether the students will turn up on day two.
The teachers’ efforts to call the parents and request them to send their children to school were futile as the parents had decided to enroll their children elsewhere.
The school had six students in the last academic year. Three were in the third standard and three were in the fourth standard. The fourth standard students passed out from the school recently, while the standard three students – all from one family – were promoted to the fourth standard. The parents had communicated to the school authorities that they were seeking admission in another school as this government school lacked basic educational facilities.
The decline in student strength started in 2012-13, and the situation is worsening evert year. Official records of the school reveal that there were only nine students for the academic year 2012-13. The number of students dropped to six in 2013-14. The teachers are now worried.
Last year, the school used to run in one classroom. All four standards were housed on four different wooden benches. “Each bench is a classroom by itself. Two multitasking teachers were teaching all four standards simultaneously in one room together. Thus, villagers from Bogmalo don’t want their children to study in this school, but are going for admissions in some other private or government-aided schools,” said John Seagull, a Bogmalo local.
Besides the small class, the school has no bus facilities, no play area, and no playing equipment.
Although school officials declined to comment, their facial expressions showed the seriousness of the issue. If the school has no students, the government may be forced to seek its closure. However, the panchayat is against this decision.
While Sarpanch Laxman Kavlekar is appealing to parents to send their children to the school, his appeals are falling on deaf ears. He said, “The school was one of the popular schools in Bogmalo, but it has been neglected by the concerned department for reasons best known to them. Lack of amenities and other facilities today forced the parents to admit their children to other school, and thus, today we have no one in this school except for the teachers,” said Kavlekar.
