47 yrs on Middle School Madar awaits sufficient staff

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Mir Tariq
Bandipora, April 22: Established in 1961, Middle School Madar in this north Kashmir district of Bandipora, which has 200 to 300 students on roll, is understaffed.The school was upgraded from a primary school in November 2007. However even after 2 years and 5 months, the authorities have failed to appoint any teacher.
“Over 100 students are enrolled in class 6th to 8th,” said Headmaster Middle School Bashir Ahmed Peer adding there is only one senior teacher in the school among the eight Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers.The school located half a kilometer from the district headquarters Bandipore is one of hundreds of schools upgraded during the past five years but which lacks infrastructure and is short on faculty members.Located close to BSF Headquarter Madar Bandipora is short of staff and lacks proper infrastructure.Not a single teacher has been appointed since its up gradation although appointment of teachers is prerequisite for setting up a middle school. “The school has no fencing and high tension power lines pass through the school playground at the height of 5-7 ft which is dangerous" said Head Master, adding, “The school does not have a bathroom.”“As we don’t have a bathroom students leave the school premises for easing themselves. In the process a lot of their precious time is wasted,” said another teacher Nazir Ahmed. “The school is located at a height of around 15 feet and is without fencing. There is always the fear of students falling from the school premises. One of the student last month fell while playing and fractured his arm.”The locals demand renovation of two classroom buildings constructed by NABARD during 2003, which is now in a dilapidated condition."These two buildings constructed in 2003 by NABARD are useless as the agency constructed the buildings without any plan in center of the school compound," said Muhammad Sultan, a village elderly.Besides complaining about the lack of staff and infrastructure, students also complain about the fear of studying under the shade of gun. “The BSF camp is located nearby,” said a student adding he fears the troopers. “The daily firing during training hours in the camp disturbs our class work. At times we don’t hear what our teachers say.”“The water from the nearby areas seeps into our school compound. Whenever there is rain the water rushes into our school compound, which damages our classrooms," said Nahida, an 8th standard student.Khalid Hussain Samoon, former Deputy Director Education and Chief Education Officer Bandipora visited the school in 2007 and promised solving the problems of the school. However nothing has happened so far.Admitting that various schools in Kashmir were facing the shortage of faculty members, district Chief Education Officer Ghulam Muhammad Ahanger said: "Most schools of the district don’t have proper faculty. We have vacancies for 200 teachers. I have asked the higher authorities to fill those vacancies.”Ahanger said, “We are waiting for the response from the higher authorities following which vacant posts will be filled."Commenting on the absence of infrastructure, Ahanger said: “Last year we tried our best to provide infrastructure to the schools which are in need of it. In the coming board meetings all the matters regarding the lack of infrastructure and faculty will be taken up.”