RAWALPINDI: The education department has begun renovation work on the Government Girls’ Elementary School Shaukat building, Saddar Bazaar after shifting 350 students to the nearby Government Denny’s High School.

The old building in Ahata Mitho, near the railway station, was constructed by the British and was used as a bukhshi khana – a temporary prison when under-trial prisoners were held during proceedings.

After partition, the building was turned into a school, but repair work on the building is now being carried out for the first time.

Students forced to take afternoon classes due to lack of space

“After the October 26 earthquake, cracks developed in the school building and the education department decided to replace the old and dilapidated roof and structure,” District Education Officer Syed Saleem Raza told Dawn. He said the repairs will cost Rs13 million.

Mr Raza said the government had allocated funds for the repairs of 94 other ‘dangerous’ buildings across the district and work on these buildings would begin soon.

“Over 350 students have been shifted to Denny’s High School on Kashmir Road. They will have classes in the second shift,” he said.

Mr Raza added that the education department did not have any vacant building in which to accommodate the students in the morning.

Students’ parents, however, said the government should provide a suitable site for the students to study in the morning. “We are forced to send our children to school in the afternoon,” said Mohammad Azam, a parent.

Mohammad Anwar said it was difficult for students to come home after dark, as the sun sets earlier in the winter.

Mr Anwar said the area near Denny’s High School is surrounded by workshops.

He said the education department should rent a building to accommodate the students if they did not have one to spare.

Sohail Khan called on the government to complete the reconstruction work as soon as possible.

“The ideal time for repairs is during summer vacation, but the government began work late and has disturbed both parents and students,” he said.

Some parents also urged the government to remove workshops from the residential areas of Ahata Mitho, around the girls’ school. “The school will be reconstructed, but the workshops on the pavements will remain. The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and the provincial government should also improve the area and end illegal activities before the school re-opens,” Khurram Saeed, a resident of the area, said.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015

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