Tura(Meghalaya), June 16: The Gra Songgittcham School in the remote sections of the district of North Garo Hills has been in existence since the year 1953. The school has catered to the education needs of many youngsters from the area and is a blessing to most that live here. However if you look at the physical condition of the school itself, it would not take a miracle to understand the abject and inhuman conditions that the teachers and students are subjected to on a daily basis just to impart education and gain knowledge.
Gra Songgitcham is near the village of Gabil, a remote section of the district of NGH. As per locals, at least 48 children study in this Government LP School, which goes by the name of the village itself. It falls under the Bajengdoba constituency in NGH.
One look at the situation of the school is enough to give people an idea as to why the state of Meghalaya has been placed last in the latest assessment on education by the centre. The school lacks any infrastructure to speak of with students studying in a building sans door, windows or even a roof.
“There are many students who are studying in this school but the condition of the building is not even basic by any standards. There is no roof, wall, windows or doors. It is impossible to take classes during the rainy season and children generally get a holiday during rains. Can anyone even get basic education in this sort of school,” asked a local resident, Tengson Sangma.
Interestingly the school is also a polling station during elections which means that polling officers face the same hardships when they have to perform their duties.
“Imagine the embarrassment we have to suffer and the difficulties they face. This situation is accentuated for students and teachers that are forced to use this infrastructure to impart and get educated. The situation is inhuman,” he added.
The villagers for now have expressed their unhappiness at the situation their children face and sought their local MLA to look into the matter on an urgent basis for the sake of the people of the village. They had earlier also informed the district school authorities of the matter but despite their requests, the authorities have remained unmoved – something that is not surprising coming from the education department in the state.
