Education in jeopardy: Kulgam’s School operates without building, classes held in cook’s courtyard

Kulgam, Dec 05: A government primary school in Bebrada village of Yaripora zone has been operating in the courtyard of the school’s cook for over a year, lacking a proper building after being evicted from its rented accommodation. The situation has caused enrollment to plummet by more than 50%, leaving children to endure substandard conditions as authorities struggle to find a permanent solution.
For the past year, the school, originally housed in a rented building, has faced constant instability. After the landlord asked them to vacate, the school was forced to temporarily relocate to a room provided by a local villager. This arrangement, however, only lasted nine months, after which the cook at the school, whose own children attend the same institution, offered his courtyard and veranda for the continuation of classes.
Every morning, children gather to attend classes in the open air or under the cook’s veranda, exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the winter months. Despite repeated promises of improved facilities from local authorities, the children continue to suffer from a lack of basic infrastructure.
The school, which once boasted an enrollment of over 30 students, now has only 15 enrolled. The drop in student numbers is a direct consequence of the school’s lack of a proper building and essential facilities. One local resident, Sayar Ahmad, shared that the situation had worsened after the school was evicted from its rented space.
“The school initially operated out of a rented building, but the landlord asked them to vacate. They then relocated temporarily to another room provided by a local, but after just nine months, they were forced to move again,” Ahmad explained. “Since then, they have had no option but to hold classes in the cook’s courtyard.”
Despite several visits from officials from both the Education and Revenue Departments, no permanent solution has been found. “The school continues to operate under the open sky, and no concrete steps have been taken to resolve the issue,” Ahmad added.
An Education Department official confirmed the school’s dire situation. “The enrollment has dropped significantly since the school was evicted from its rented building,” the official stated. “At its peak, the school had more than 30 students, but now there are fewer than 15 attending. The lack of a proper classroom and basic facilities has been a major factor in this decline.”
The school currently operates with just two teachers, after the transfer of a third teacher who had been posted there due to the lack of essential amenities, such as a washroom or a proper classroom.
Manzoor Ahmad, the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) for Yaripora, acknowledged the severity of the situation. “We have written to the Revenue Department several times, but unfortunately, no land has been identified for the school so far,” he said. “The lack of a building and basic infrastructure has undoubtedly affected student enrollment.”
However, a senior officer from the Revenue Department disputed this, stating that land had already been identified for the school. “The land is located near the village, and although there were some initial objections, these are not valid as it is state land,” the officer explained. “The authorities have been advised to proceed with the necessary processes for transferring the land to the Education Department while the land transfer is underway.”
The ongoing struggle highlights a stark reality: the children of Bebrada village are being denied a proper education, as a lack of planning and coordination between government departments continues to delay the resolution of the school’s building crisis. Meanwhile, parents, unable to afford private education, are left with no choice but to keep their children enrolled at the makeshift school, while others are forced to transfer their children to nearby institutions, further straining the already underfunded education system in the region.