KARACHI, Sept 3: Owing to lack of staff, insufficient classrooms, furniture and other basic necessities, the primary schools of Orangi Town, which had been upgraded to the lower secondary schools three years back, could not start middle level classes yet.

The authorities concerned seem least interested to ensure proper functioning of the schools, as despite huge allocations the institutions are playing no worth mentioning role in imparting education.

During visits to some 24 government schools in Orangi Town, it was observed that the number of teachers was not in accordance with the ratio of students and classes.

In some schools, teachers are taking extra classes while in others teachers pass their time in gossiping. The time of arrival and departure is at the teachers’ own free will and every one is wise enough to give a legal cover to the absence of his/ her colleague.

It was observed that some of the principals had maintained the standard of their schools by having a close contact with the non-governmental organizations, area notables and well-to-do people.

Al-Hamra Government Boys’ Primary School (Aligarh Colony UC-12) is one of the glaring examples of government’s negligence, where six teachers have been posted just for 30 students.

When this reporter visited the school at 10am, there was no student present while the principal along with two lady teachers was taking tea in the veranda. About the absence of students, the principal said that there was only one room and as such five classes could not be conducted there. He said that they had to take the rest of four classes in the open air, but in the inclement weather it too was impossible. There was neither any sweeper nor any watchman, he added.

The school is located on the third floor of a disputed rented building, which lacks water, electricity and toilet facilities.

Similar is the situation at Iqra Govt Boys’ Primary School (Mujahidabad), which has 10 teachers just for 70 students. The condition of the four-room building is very pathetic, where sewerage water has entered classrooms and two of the classrooms on the first floor have no furniture. A portion of the building has developed wide cracks, which can fall anytime.

The principal said that water supply had been disconnected recently for unknown reasons.

The facilities at Govt Boys’ Primary School, Pathan Colony (Aligarh Bazaar UC-12) are next to nil.

According to the school record, 250 girls and 355 boys are getting education in 12 rooms. Owing to shortage of rooms the school’s administration has managed to take double classes in a single room by compromising on the quality of education being imparted. In such a situation, at least four more rooms are required to accommodate rest of the students.

The school where hundreds of people spend hours daily does not have water and toilet facilities. According to the school administration, the water supply had been disconnected a couple of years back for reasons best known to the authorities concerned. The school has a staff of 15 teachers and a principal, but there is neither watchman nor any sweeper for its maintenance.

In UC-7 of Orangi Town, about 150 students are enrolled at J.M. Madina Primary School located in Raja Tanver Colony. When this scribe visited the school, only three teachers and the principal were present.

The principal disclosed that 30 ceiling fans and a water pumping motor were stolen from the school premises recently, as no watchman has been posted there since the death of a watchman some months back.

Arafat is another government primary school situated in the same union council near Rais Amrohvi Colony, where only six teachers are available for about 240 students while the teacher for Sindhi subject and peon has so far not been posted there.

The situation in the Noor Govt Primary School, Sadiqabad is also pathetic, as the teacher for Sindhi subject, peon and watchman are yet to be posted. Owing to non-availability of a peon, teachers and students have to clean classrooms. There is neither water available nor toilet facility in the building.

Makhdoom Shah Primary School has only three teachers for about 150 students. The principal said that a plot measuring 200sq-yard had been donated by the area people, where a temporary shelter comprising three rooms had been erected on self-help basis which could not fulfill all requirements. The school needs proper furniture, water supply and a peon.

The situation at Pak Islamia Govt Boys’ Primary School, Mujahidabad, Sector-6/E (UC-12) is not different. Around 120 students are getting education at the five-room building. Two of the rooms have no floors and as such students have to take classes in other three rooms whenever it rains. There are eight teachers available for 120 students.

The school is located in a rented building, which too has a very interesting story regarding its ownership. The principal said once a group of people had occupied the building, but the administration managed to re-occupy it by involving police. “The litigation resulted into decreasing number of students,” he said.

Electricity has been drawn through an illegally hooked connection. Since its inception, the school has been functioning without any watchman. Furniture too is in pathetic condition.

In UC-7, Mustafa Govt Boys’ Primary School has seven teachers for 150 students. The total number of classrooms is five, but two of them without ceiling were observed full of rainwater. In rest of three rooms, there is no furniture and students sit on mats.

A wide crack has appeared in the building structure. The school has neither water nor toilet facility. Besides, hanging electricity cables in the school put the life of students and teachers at risk.

Lower Secondary School Orangi Town No 13-14, which is located at Disco More, has nine teachers for 500 students. Though there are 10 classrooms, the students sit on mat due to lack of proper furniture. The boundary wall had already collapsed during the rains while the sewerage system has also failed.

For 1,136 students, there are 14 classrooms in J/M Boys’ Primary School, Mohammadi 13/H. There are 18 teachers at the school.

According to the school principal, at least three more rooms and 10 more teachers are needed to meet the current requirement. The school has no boundary wall while the leaking water tank needs immediate repair. Four classrooms have no furniture.

In UC-10, Al-Khalil Primary School has seven teachers for 332 students. The school has neither any watchman nor the boundary wall. There are total five classrooms without proper furniture and fans.

The girls’ primary school in Sector-11/E has seven teachers for 320 students and the school has neither watchman, nor water and toilet facilities. It has only five rooms for six classes with their doors and windows destroyed by termites.

In UC-4, J.M. Khulfai Rashdeen School has four teachers for 107 students. Water and toilet is not available.

The recently constructed building of Lower Secondary School in Mohammadi Nagar has 10 rooms for 90 students. The school has managed to get power supply through illegal connection.

In Jinnah Colony, the girls’ primary school has been functioning with five teachers for 100 students. The building is in dismal condition, as the boundary wall has collapsed and the school is exposed to drug addicts, who have taken away the doors, a portion of the iron grill as well as furniture and fans. There is no water facility available while the toilets needs repair.

The five-room boys’ primary school in Orangi No 10 has eight teachers for 135 students. It has neither water nor toilet facility while the furniture has also got broken. Cracks have appeared in the building structure. The watchman and peon of the school are reportedly serving at EDO office.

In Sector 11/A, Pak-Medico Primary School has seven rooms without windows and doors. Two of them are without furniture. To fulfill the academic requirement of 235 students, teachers for the subjects of Sindhi and English are required.