Schools in congested areas without playgrounds

The government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure maximum enrolment in the state-run schools as teachers have been told not to deny admission to any student. Though facilities like smart classes, projectors and infrastructure in the form of more classrooms are available, hundreds of schools running from congested areas of the city are without playgrounds.

As per the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), there are around 200 government schools in the district, which do not have proper playgrounds.

In many such primary and senior secondary schools, outdoor sports activities have taken a backseat. For instance, Government Primary School, Phullanwal; Government Senior Secondary School, near Division Number 3; Government Primary School, near Daad, and many other schools operating from gurdwaras or other places do not have playgrounds for students.

District Education Officer (DEO), Primary, Ravinder Kaur said there was no provision for outdoor sports activities in schools operating from the congested areas. “Even the government cannot do much about it as there is hardly any scope for expansion,” the DEO said.

A parent of a child studying in Government Primary School in Basti Jodhewal, wishing not to be named, said the school was on the main road with lot of commercial activity going around.

“The school is housed in a small building with few rooms. We work as labourers and have admitted our ward to the nearby school, but my child always complains that there is no space to play. He asks me to shift him to a school with playground, but we cannot afford it,” said the parent.

Managements of the schools running from the congested areas rue that they are not as lucky as institutions situated in the peripheral area of the city where plenty of land is available for sports activities. “Almost all schools in the peripheral areas of the city in different blocks have playgrounds due to ample land availability. The students are sent out to play when they are free. But the facility is not available for students in the schools situated in the city areas,” said Gurpreet Singh, a teacher.

Ludhiana