The rainy season has returned once more, with only a week remaining before the commencement of classes for the academic year 2024-25. During this period, heavy pre-monsoon rains often result in school walls being damaged or collapsing due to strong winds.
Yet, numerous government schools in the district continue to grapple with the issue of deteriorating classrooms. It’s unfortunate that students are still studying in the same compromised rooms this year. Recent heavy rains and strong winds have caused disruptions in several schools, yet the education department has failed to implement safety measures for the children. The district experienced a devastating flood in 2019.
The overflow of Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Krishna, and their tributaries led to significant damage to classrooms in government schools. Subsequently, additional rooms were affected by the rainfall. Despite this, many rooms remain unrepaired to date. Parents’ hopes of seeing improvements in the condition of dilapidated schools before the rainy season have been dashed.
In deforested villages like Khanapur, heavy rains last year damaged classrooms in 16 primary schools. The taluk comprises 328 primary schools and 72 high schools, many of which have benefited from schemes like Narega, local area development grants from MLAs, and contributions from alumni and donors. Despite this, the condition of dilapidated schools remains unchanged.
Schools such as the Government Urdu Primary School in Khanapur town, Garlagunji, Mudewadi, Itagi, Gandigawada, Biddy, and Nandagad, as well as Linganamath government schools, are in poor condition, causing concern among students.
Reports detailing the damage caused by heavy rains in recent years have been submitted to the government. According to sources at the Block Education Officer’s office, repairs have been carried out in some schools.
In Savadatti taluk, 235 classrooms have deteriorated to the point of being dilapidated. In certain areas, these rooms have been closed, and students are being taught in safer classrooms. However, in other locations, the rundown rooms are still being utilized for teaching, posing a safety risk to the children. District Education Officer Mohana Dandina stated that a proposal has been drafted and submitted for the construction of 192 new classrooms and the repair of existing ones.
The recent storm has caused damage to the board sheets of the Government Primary School in Patagundi, Moodlegi zone. According to field education officer Ajitha Mannikeri, 30 classrooms in Mudalagi’s educational sector are in a deteriorated condition, and the respective school principals have been instructed not to use them for learning. Additionally, schools such as Gandhi Nagar School and Honakuppi School in Jokanatti have experienced broken tiles due to hail. Furthermore, the rooms at Yadawada Boys’ School, Hosatti, and Avaradi are dilapidated and require reconstruction. A proposal has been forwarded to the department to demolish and rebuild these unsafe rooms.
Ramadurga taluk has a total of 213 government primary and high schools, many of which have deteriorated rooms, impacting children’s learning. Additional rooms are needed at Salapur, K. Chandragi, and Lakanayanakoppa, while 13 rooms are awaiting repair. In the Gokak educational zone, which comprises 288 government primary and 44 high schools, partially damaged schools from heavy rains in 2019 have been repaired, ensuring that children can study without concerns. G. B. Balagara, the field education officer for Gokak, assures that there is no shortage of rooms for children to study, despite the presence of dilapidated buildings.
However, most schools in the taluk, including those in Bailahongala town, are in poor condition. Over 45 schools in the Bailahongala zone have damaged rooms, ceilings, and walls, causing difficulties for students. While 30 rooms have been repaired, the education department has submitted an action plan to the taluk panchayat office, requesting funding for repairing additional schools.
During the previous year’s rainy season, 168 rooms across 77 schools were found to be dilapidated in Nippani taluk. This year, nine schools have suffered damage due to pre-monsoon rains and strong winds. On May 12, several schools experienced damage caused by the rains. The wall of Government Kannada Senior Primary School in Biroba Mal collapsed, while the shed and patras of Vidyamandir School were blown away. At City Municipal Council English Medium School, walls were destroyed, and in Gawan taluk, the primary school wall collapsed. Additionally, a classroom wall on the second floor of New Marathi Vidyalaya collapsed, leading to furniture damage. Similarly, a primary school wall in Manakapur also collapsed. The recent rain and wind also resulted in the roof tiles of a government school in Pattanakudi, under Chikkodi zone, being blown away. Repairs are currently underway.
In Kittoor taluk of Channamma, there are currently 91 rooms awaiting repair, while the situation is not as severe here. Various schools in the taluk have requested 36 new rooms, for which a proposal has been forwarded to the government. In terms of specific villages, Kulavalli has nine rooms, MK Hubballi has 14, Ambadagatti has 11, Hoolikatti Channamma Kittoor has six, and Thigadolli Devagaon, Hosa Kadavaralli, Devarashigihalli each have five rooms awaiting repair. Similarly, Turamari, Mallapur, K.A. Marigeri, Dastikoppada have three rooms each, while Degulahalli, Basarkhoda, Giriyala, K.A. Hunseekatti, Kadarvalli, Avaradi, Basapura, Nichchanaki, Channapur, K.A. have two rooms each. Additionally, Veerapur and Chikkanandihalli have one room each awaiting repair in Amarapura.
In the educational district of Belgaum, a total of 586 classrooms are in a state of disrepair, comprising 542 primary school classrooms and 44 secondary school classrooms. Among these, the Savadatti sector accounts for the highest number of dilapidated classrooms, with 235 in need of repair. In the Chikkodi educational district, there are 523 classrooms that require attention, consisting of 482 primary school classrooms and 41 high school classrooms.
