Education crumbles as schools shut for prolonged periods across Garo Hills in monsoon

Baghmara, Aug 4: Garo Hills has long stood for equality. But if West, North, South West, and East Garo Hills have poorly maintained schools, can South Garo Hills be far behind? The answer is a resounding no.

A visit on July 31 to the village of Dimagre, about 35 km from the district headquarters in Baghmara, revealed yet another school in a growing list across Garo Hills that shuts down on rainy days. This time, it was a pair of schools in the same compound that highlighted the crumbling state of educational infrastructure in the region.

Dimagre SSA UP School

The school currently has 27 students and four teachers. It has four rooms for Classes VI to VIII, with one doubling as a staff office. This staff room is the only dry space and houses all important documents, books, and supplies.

Last year, the school was repaired using its annual grant of Rs 10,000, an amount based on student enrolment. Though this fund is meant for essential supplies like chalk, dusters, pens, and blackboards, it was instead used to patch up the roof. But the low budget meant poor-quality materials were used, and the new roof is already riddled with holes.

In one classroom, the false bamboo ceiling is falling apart due to repeated rainfall. Water collects on the floor where children sit on benches, and parts of the flooring have worn away. Students huddle in the driest corners while teachers continue to teach from the front, which is slightly less damp than the rest of the room.

The situation is no better in the other two classrooms - each one leaks during rain. Even the verandah roof, damaged in a past hailstorm, has holes that let in water. Most doors and windows are broken or severely damaged.

The toilets are unusable, with each overflowing with moss and algae. “We can’t hold classes when it rains due to the leaks. Students try to keep their bags in dry spots, but during heavy rain, even that doesn’t help,” said a teacher.

The headmaster said they have repeatedly complained to the education department, only to be told to repair the school with the Rs 10,000 grant.

“There’s not much we can do unless we pay from our salaries. The grant is not enough to buy wood, tin sheets, or cover labour costs. It’s just not enough,” he added.

Dimagre SSA LP School

The lower primary section has 37 students and two teachers. As with the UP school, this section is in equally poor shape. The short tin roofs of both classrooms fail to keep the rain out.

A third room, now used as a storeroom, is condemned because of cracks in its roof. The false ceiling is falling apart, and both students and teachers are struggling to cope. Books and other materials are stored in this unsafe room with no protection from rain.

Teachers said although textbooks are supplied by the state, some subjects, including Garo and Environmental Studies, are never provided. They end up purchasing these books for the students themselves. As for notebooks, a standard supply in most other states, they are simply not provided at all.

Dubagre Government LP and SSA UP Schools

Just 20 km from Dimagre is the village of Dubagre, near Baghmara. Right beside the road lie two schools - the Dubagre Government LP School and the SSA UP School. The first thing that hits you is the overall neglect.

Out of four structures in the compound, two are completely condemned, leaving only two functional rooms for both schools. The relatively newer LP section is in better shape, but the UP building already shows moss growth on the ceiling.

The LP section has 40 students and two teachers, while the UP section has 21 students and four teachers. Due to the lack of space, the schools now function in shifts: the LP section in the morning and the UP in the afternoon.

“We have raised the issue several times and even submitted photos of the school. But we were told there are no funds for repairs and asked to manage with the annual grants - Rs 25,000 for LP and Rs 10,000 for UP. That’s just not enough,” said the LP headmaster, who lives just below the school.

Beyond infrastructure, he pointed to an even graver issue: student dropouts.

“We started this session with 42 students. Now we’re down to 30. Twelve have dropped out, and only a few have joined other schools. In this situation, it’s hard to convince them to come back,” he said. According to the last census and Jal Jeevan Mission data, Dubagre has a population of 713 and 136 households. Most families are struggling to make ends meet. With no real incentives and students having to pay for basic items like notebooks, pens, and pencils, education, supposedly free, are becoming an unaffordable luxury for many.

- By Biplab Kr Dey