Students forced sit in the open as government high school at Talavadi Hills in Erode lacks classrooms and basic amenities

Government High School in Talavadi Hills lacks classrooms, forcing students to sit under a tree, highlighting urgent need for infrastructure.

Twenty-two Class VII students of the Government High School at Kunnanpuram in Talavadi Hills are forced to sit the under the shade of a tree on the school premises due to lack of adequate classrooms.

The school was established in 1993 as a middle school and upgraded as a high school in 2018. At present, 132 students from Panahalli, Palayam, Jerahalli, Ernahalli and a few other habitations are pursuing Classes VI to X in the school. In addition, a government primary school and a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), a residential school for girls from disadvantaged groups, also function on the same premises.

Though the school needs 10 classrooms for both Tamil and English mediums, there are only four classrooms. The school lacks a laboratory, library, office and staff room for teachers. The school, which is managed by a headmistress in-charge, has only two full-time teachers. The four other teachers are appointed by the school management committee. “During rainy season, classes are combined to accommodate all students in the four classrooms,” said a teacher speaking on condition of anonymity.

A mother of a Class VII student said that her daughter refuses to go to school because she has to sit under a tree throughout the year. “It rains frequently from August to January and students face hardship,” she added.

A parent in Ernahalli raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure in the school and pointed out that their two-day protest in October 2022 over the issue was yet to be addressed. “The government stresses on compulsory education, but where are the classrooms,” the parent questioned.

Sources in the Education Department told The Hindu that a report on the requirement of the school has been submitted to the government, and the process was under way.