Two schools, one dilapidated building: Why Sikhya Kranti has failed to reach over 600 kids

The students from Shahi Mohalla school study at Kundanpuri school in evening shift as they have no other space to sit.

The condition of Kundapuri primary school’s own children is no better. Over 400 children are crammed in just four congested rooms in the morning shift.

A visit to the school revealed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Punjab government’s “Sikhya Kranti” drive to showcase infrastructure development in Punjab’s schools, was yet to reach these over 600 children as the school had no inaugural plaques or the flexes with CM Bhagwant Mann’s photo.

The evening shift children were crammed in the verandah as they sang morning prayers in the noon, while jostling for space and pushing each others’ elbows to fold their hands.

The head teacher of Shahi Mohalla school said that they have not received any information yet on when the school’s new building will come up or where. “As of now we are teaching in Kundanpuri school building in evening shift. The building is so congested that children are being cramped in the verandah,” she said.

Kuldeep Kumar, head teacher of Kundapuri primary school, said that in the morning shift, over 400 children of their own school are crammed in just four rooms. “Our school cannot receive any grants for new infrastructure or constructing new classrooms as this land is owned by a community centre who had donated it for the school. Right now there’s no government land available to construct new school building. We have no option but to make hundreds of children sit either in open verandah or four congested rooms,” he said.