Sub-school building in Bhuj lies abandoned as all 134 students take leaving certificates in protest

The villagers said the boycott is against the administration that has refused to give them their own independent school in spite of the fact that this sub-school had almost twice the number of students than those enrolled in the main school of Ambedkarnagar Prathmik Shala (72), which is about 2 km away.

The Indian Express had earlier reported that the school had signed 72 LCs between July 25 and 29. By July 31, parents of all 134 students had sought and received their LCs, effectively shutting down the sub-school that was being run from a tin-shed community hall without any basic facilities, and only two teachers for students enrolled between Class 1 and Class 8.

Minaxi Chauhan, the Principal of Ambedkarnagar Prathmik Shala, confirmed, “All of the 134 students enrolled in the Peta Varg of our school in Bharatnagar Pul Patiya had taken their LCs by July 31.”

The community and village leaders in Bharatnagar Pul Patiya village, which falls under Jikadi Juth Gram Panchayat, and lies about 10 km from the city of Bhuj, have been trying since 2019 to get an independent school with a full-fledged building, a full staff of teachers and associated facilities. They had even attached recommendation letters from a local MLA and an MP.

However, the Directorate of Primary Education, most recently on July 23, recommended that the institution continue to function as a sub-school following which the parents decided to withdraw their children from the education system till the time they received the facilities to study with dignity.

Earlier, speaking to The Indian Express, Taluka Primary Education Officer (TPEO) Nilesh Gor had said that the reason an independent school could not be declared at Bharatnagar Pul Patiya was the absence of any building in the village that could function as an educational premises.

Villager offers own property

With the children having lost more than two weeks of academic progress now, the villagers have come up with a solution.

Sikandar Alana Sumra, an activist and community organiser who has been at the forefront of the movement to seek an independent school for the village children, has offered his own family property to function as a temporary school till the time infrastructure is built by the education department in Kutch.

Said Sumra, “We have our ancestral home, essentially two buildings with tiled roofs. One of them has two rooms and the other has one room and both are located next to each other. My cousin Kasam Alimamad Sumra has stated in an affidavit that he is ready to offer these two buildings to start an independent school on a temporary basis till the time infrastructure can be built by the government.” The Indian Express has seen a copy of the affidavit.

Speaking on this development, TPEO Gor said, “The hurdle to Bharatnagar Pul Patiya village getting a school was the lack of a premises that could be used as one. A villager has come forward and offered his properties as a temporary solution. They have had the building painted as well and made it ready to hand over. We have now written a proposal and sent it to the Education Department in Gandhinagar for further action.”

Notably, Valji Ahir, the Sarpanch of Jikadi Juth Gram Panchayat that administers Bharatpur Pul Patiya village, had earlier, through a resolution, handed over requisite land to the education department to set up a new school. Asked about the development, Gor said, “The process to set up a new school in the village is also under consideration at the district level.”