Building blocks: School building collapses during monsoon rains

Hundreds of primary school students shifted to local mosque.

SIALKOT:

Local school management has hundreds of primary school students to a mosque after the school building collapsed.

According to the Government Primary School Ticharta Rokana Markaz Daalowali administration, the school building had been constructed 15 years ago and had collapsed during the summer break this year. “We have tried to seek funds for repair but these were not released in time and we have had no choice but to relocate the students,” said the school administrator Mujahid Bukhsh,

According to Sialkot Education Department officials, the school building was established 15 years ago and collapsed due to the rains during the summer. School officials said that substandard material was used by the contractor in the construction of the building due and the structure collapsed due to heavy rains. “We have been working on repairs but we lack the funds,” Buksh said, adding “The Education Department has not taken the issue seriously.”

The parents of the students and local notables Bashir Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam, Malik Abid, Allah Rakha and Ghulam Hussain have expressed grave concern over the situation. “The mosque does not have the capacity o hold hundreds of children and their education is suffering. Teachers fear that the students might be held back a year,” said a parent Malik Abid.

Local community members have appealed to the Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Saeed Wahla and Sialkot DCO Mujahid Sher Dil to take serious notice of the situation.

The parents said that primary school education was of key importance and the government needed to ensure that schools were safe and well equipped. “How can the provivincial government boast its ‘parha likha Punjab’ if the schools are crumbling?” said Allah Rakha. PPI



Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2011.