The neglect of government school in frastructure in the State has once again come to light, as primary school buildings in Taleigao are forced to undergo roof re pairs barely five months after the same roofs were supposedly fixed. What should have been a one time renovation has be come a costly, repetitive cycle, leaving students to study under unsafe, leaky roofs and raising serious questions about the mis use of public funds. The Government Pri mary Schools at Chin cholem-Bhatlem and Taleigao, which had their roofs and walls re paired ahead of the June academic session, are already under renova tion again — this time replacing temporary gal vanised sheets with PUF (polyurethane foam) sheets and fitting vitri fied wall tiles. Headmistress Var shali Verekar lamented the endless cycle of re pairs. “Classes had to be temporarily shifted to the old Taleigao village panchayat building in June because the contrac tor could not complete the work on time. Now, even after reopening, the roofs are being replaced again,” she said. Contractor Shyamal Das admitted to using gal vanised sheets earlier due to procurement delays from Odisha. “As a tem porary measure, we had installed galvanised sheets. Now, during the Diwali vacation, we are replac ing them with PUF sheets. The roof framework is ready; only the sheets need replacement,” he said.
The situation has sparked outrage among activists and parents. The human cost of these shoddy repair practices is also visible. In May, two workers fell from the school rooftops while undertaking repairs and had to be hospitalised. Though recovered, they are now unable to work on roofs. Director of Education Shailesh Sinai Zingde stated that the government plans to repair all primary school build ings, claiming over 200 premises have been addressed by the PWD so far. However, repeated repairs, water seepage and the constant risk of injury highlight the grim reality: the State’s schools are crumbling, and children continue to study in unsafe, ill-maintained conditions. This recurring saga of unfinished repairs and makeshift solutions paints a disturbing picture of negligence and inefficiency, raising serious questions about how public funds meant to secure the future of students are being spent.
