Mangaluru: This 98-year-old school building, once vibrant with laughter and life can now only welcome its visitors with its drooping fans and dilapidated visage. This is the pathetic plight of DKZP higher primary school at Sand Pit, Bengre, one of the oldest government schools in the city.
The school that prepared several young minds to take the world by their stride is now seeking help.
Its vanished compound wall, broken roof, drooping fan and cracks on wall are the mute testimony for the past glory of this school, which is now only a memory.
Despite this fragile state, the school continues to mold young minds, with danger looming large. However, this monsoon the classes were shifted to a small building constructed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). But, problems continue to haunt the school, for the SSA building has only three rooms and the teachers conduct classes in these three rooms for 52 kids studying from I to VII standard.
The sad state of the building has compelled many parents to send their children to other schools in the city facing many adversities. Without proper road connectivity between Bengre and the city, these kids have to take boat to reach the Bunder area and then reach the city. Sand Pit school is a convenient option for the kids, but that has been denied.
A teacher of the school, on conditions of anonymity says that the plight of the school went from bad to worse due to a majestically grown peepal tree, which has its roots spreading underneath the school building, developing cracks on the wall. “There is massive objection for felling this tree because several locals offer prayers here,” says the teacher.
Speaking to newskarnataka.com corporator Meera Karkera said that efforts are being made to breath life into the school and locals have held meetings so that fund raising could be done to develop the school building.
She said that the DC has promised funds to construct compound wall around the school. However, one may have to wait and watch if the school would ever see a silver lining or it would die a silent death.
