Sports clubs obstruct construction of classroom

The Hindu

Mangalore, 20 September 2010: Sports clubs in the Mahakalipadpu area here have allegedly prevented a higher primary school from constructing a classroom on its own premises. Following a request from the school for a classroom to conduct ‘Nali Kali’ classes for children from classes I to IV, it got funds sanctioned during 2009-10, headmistress Bharati Kalluraya told The Hindu. The new classroom was to come up adjacent to the school building.

 

The Nali Kali programme stipulates that one room each should be made available for I and II and III and IV standards. But in this school, there is only one hall, which has been partitioned into four classrooms. One of these rooms has now been allotted for the Nali Kali classes. At present, about 25 children from classes I to III are being taught in that cramped classroom. “Once Nali Kali is introduced for class IV from next year, we will not be able to handle so many children in one classroom,” Ms. Kalluraya said.

 

Around 25 children use this classroom for thier "Nali Kali" classes at the Zilla Panchayat Higher Primary School in Mahakalipadpu. in Mangalore on Saturday 18th September 2010.

 

Ms. Kalluraya said that Rs. 3.56 lakh had been sanctioned for the construction of the classroom. But some sports clubs, which organise a cricket tournament annually on the ground adjacent to the school, objected to the construction of the classroom as they would not be able to play cricket there. Marking of the site had begun, but the sports club members have allegedly warned the school authorities against pursuing the scheme.

 

Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan Project Officer Shivaprakash said that about two feet of the proposed building would have encroached onto the ground. As the funds were not utilised by the school, they had been given to another school, he said. Abdul Wahab, president of a sports club, said : “A portion of the building would extend into the ground. So we have asked them to shift the toilet behind the main building and then construct the new room.”