In Alangayam, parents lock up sparsely staffed school
Sources said that the school has 81 students, but it boasted of only one teacher to handle all the classes.
Students sitting on the road in front of their school as parents locked premises in Alangayam on Monday.
VANIYAMBADI: Irate parents, annoyed at the lack of response to their repeated demand to post teachers to the AD Welfare Department’s primary school, locked up the classrooms and school gate on Monday.
Sources said that the school has 81 students, but it boasted of only one teacher to handle all the classes. The post of school head is also vacant. Another factor is that the school buildings are in a dilapidated condition and parents fear that nothing untoward should happen during the ensuing northeast monsoon.
So, on Monday, when they came to leave their wards, the parents locked up some classrooms and the school gates forcing the children to sit on the road outside the school.
On receipt of the information, the Tirupattur district AD welfare officer rushed to the school along with revenue and police officials. He held talks with the agitating parents, promising them to act on their grievance at the earliest.
Based on the official’s assurance, the agitating parents disbanded and the school functioned normally, sources said.
When contacted, district AD welfare officer Jayakumar told DT Next that old buildings were demolished in the school four months ago and that NABARD had sanctioned Rs 43 lakh for the construction of two classrooms for which tenders had been floated and the works was expected to be over in 3 months.
About the lack of teachers, he said, as there is only one teacher, the school committee has appointed a teacher on a monthly salary of Rs 12,000. The HM post is expected to be filled soon, he said.