Journalism of Courage
INSTEAD OF waiting for government assistance, teachers of Government Elementary (Primary) School, Dafarpur village, have decided to collect donations from local residents for improving the school infrastructure. The primary school lacks benches, desks, two rooms and a water purifying system. As many as 175 students of this primary school sit on mattresses on concrete floor; some classes are held in the open as rooms are short.
Although the response of local residents is not much encouraging, teachers say, “We are going from door to door appealing to people to donate enough because it is for the future of students who mostly belong to below poverty line families.”
Dafarpur village has a population of 2,100 people and it is the last village of Mohali district, situated on the border with Panchkula.
School principal Kamaljeet said, “We have been collecting donations for one week. We have made a donation box of cardboard and carry it door to door in the recess time. A student accompanies us. We are encouraging people to donate for the welfare of students. Dafarpur is a small village and situated at the end of district. We lack so many things, including desks for the students who sit on concrete floor in this winter season.”
Teacher Shivani Saini says, “There must be some grant for the school but we cannot wait for so long. So we decided to collect donation. Most of the students in government school belong to economically backward families. Surprisingly, maximum students in our school are from the nearby Panchkula district, which is in Haryana.”
When contacted, DEO (Primary), Mohali, Gurpreet Kaur Dhaliwal said, “First of all, collecting donation for the welfare of students in not a bad idea. We have enough grants, which will reach every school at an appropriate time. In fact, people, including NRIs, businessmen, are themselves coming forward to adopt the government schools. I will check the shortage of infrastructure in government elementary school, Dafarpur. In most of the schools, we have provided desks.”
Teacher Rupinder Kaur said, “We have four rooms in our school. One of the rooms out of four is a library. To cater to 175 students, we need two more rooms. In the absence of rooms, we have to take classes in the open. During rains and winter season, we take the classes on the veranda.”
Change in timing
The Punjab government has changed the timing of government schools in view of winter from Friday. The school timing of primary schools will be from 10 am to 4 pm. Timing of high and senior secondary schools will be from 10 am to 4.15 pm.
