[ Joken Ete ]
Four years after its establishment in 2018, an ever-increasing negative perception is developing against the Sainik School in Niglok in East Siang district.
After the hush-hush voices against the exorbitant admission fee and en masse resignation of teaching and non-teaching staffs, now the parents are complaining about the lack of proper infrastructure and the delay in reopening of the school.
Needless to say, a good infrastructure is a prerequisite for schools as it directly impacts the performance of the students. A school is a home away from home for a student. During student life, most of the waking hours of a student are spent at school, learning new things.
Like an experienced teacher plays an important role in shaping students’ academic lives, a school with good infrastructure creates a favourable environment for students’ holistic development. In today’s cutthroat competitive world, every parent wants to spend money where their children feel safe and secure while
learning and enjoying their life. They wish to ensure that the schools have ample safety standards and facilities to make learning a joy.
Ironically, all these things, which many parents had wished for their children, are missing at the Sainik School in Niglok.
Scores of aggrieved parents, after a visit to the school and inspecting the ongoing construction of prefabricated temporary classrooms, dormitories and staff accommodation, have alleged that the state government is not developing the infrastructure of the school as per the MoA.
They claim that the state government has not honoured the terms agreed to in the MoA, especially pertaining to providing the entire capital expenditure on land, buildings, furniture, transport and educational equipment.
“Even after more than three years of the establishment of the school, the students are being accommodated in temporary structures. These prefabricated structures are not fit for dwelling,” they said, adding that the structures would be too hot during summers and too cold during winters.
The aggrieved parents have also questioned the construction itself, saying that it is not technically feasible to be used by students.
There are no ventilation arrangements in the prefabricated structures, due to which classrooms, hostels and staff quarters are unbearably hot and suffocating. Even the number of windows in these rooms is very few and technically inappropriate and also insufficient, they said.
They said the structures are fit for soldiers posted in the Siachen glacier and not in a place like Niglok, which experiences hot weather almost round the year.
Parents of students also claimed that the roof over the hostel building does not even cover the verandah, whereas it should cover the whole verandah. Additionally, the windows have no provisions for shades, due to which sunlight and rainwater directly enter the rooms through the doors and windows.
Aside from overheating, the prefabricated materials used are extremely susceptible to fire accidents. A parent said that the students and parents of the first two batches had very bad experiences vis-à-vis the first prefabricated hostels as many cadets suffered from fever, fungal infections, skin diseases, etc, due to overheating.
The parents have also raised concern over the lack of a proper security wall on the river’s side of the school, internal roads, and water and power supply.
One parent questioned how the school authorities accommodate approximately 244 students, including six girl students, in the dormitories without proper provisions for their accommodation. He also expressed dismay over the construction carried out by the public works department, allegedly spending Rs 10 crores for building unusable prefabricated structures that are unfit for human dwelling.
In April this year, aghast at the poor infrastructure, the parents’ representatives submitted a memorandum to the chief minister for early construction of a permanent school building with other infrastructure.
“The school is a model of neglect by the state government and its agencies,” said a parent.
In August 2018, the state government had assured that the permanent school building would be constructed within three years. However, instead of honouring its commitment, it approved the construction of prefabricated structures.
As per the MoA, the state government had to provide land, buildings, furniture, transport and educational equipment. The state government was also tasked with constructing the administrative block, the educational block, dormitories and the mess, an indoor games hall, a residential accommodation for the staff, extensive playgrounds, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and other sports amenities.
“These facilities are only on paper. The school is in a pathetic shape,” said a parent.
Another major point of discord for the parents of the students of the 2019-20 and the 2020-21 batches is the delay in reopening of the school. Even after the state government allowed reopening of schools on 15 September, the Sainik School is yet to restart, at least till 4 October. At present, the cadets are attending their classes in the online mode.
“Most of the students of the last two batches have not seen the school,” said a parent, adding: “We want the school to restart offline immediately. The future of our children is at stake.”
A good school building, snug boarding facility and an outstanding academic atmosphere were what the parents had dreamt of when their children competed in the national level entrance test to be selected for admission in the prestigious school.
At present, the parents are unsure whether they made the right decision for their children. In fact, disheartened by the infrastructure and other facilities in the school, many parents are demanding that the school be relocated to a salubrious place. On 23 September, the parents’ representatives submitted a letter to union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in this regard during his visit to Namsai.
It is to be seen what action is taken over the parents’ appeal for the wellbeing of the cadets.
