KARACHI: Sewage standing in the ground of a primary and secondary school in Korangi has become a nuisance for students and teachers, causing inconvenience specially during entry and exit.

The used water has been accumulating in the DMC Mohammad Ali Jinnah Boys and Girls Primary English Medium Model School No. 19-20, in UC 10, Korangi Town, for more than three months, becoming one of the reasons for the school’s closure and students’ illnesses.

The sewerage system has collapsed in the area, and since the school is situated in a low-lying location, water flows in its direction.

Students and teachers are forced to tiptoe around the sewage to reach the school, using a narrow lane of debris laid out by local authorities in an attempt to provide a dry passage for pedestrians.

When Dawn spoke to students, they complained that their education had been compromised because of the school’s sudden closure after rains. They added that the stench emanating from the sewage was also unbearable. Their extracurricular activities had also been affected, they added.

One student said: “We used to play cricket before the summer vacation in the ground. Now we are only stuck inside the school building.”

A mother of a student said that her child had fallen ill due to the unhygienic conditions at the school.

The condition of the playground was pathetic; there was a heap of garbage, months-old stagnant water, and sewage, with moss growing all the way up to the steps of the building.

A former headmistress of the school, Madam Anila, told Dawn: “The school remained closed for several days in August, and many children are switching to other schools because of these pathetic conditions.”

She said that her three children were also enrolled in that school and were now facing disruption in their studies.

The current headmistress said the sewage had been standing in and around the school for more than three months.

“It is quite difficult even for us to continue under these conditions. So one can imagine what a difficult situation our schoolchildren must be facing.”

She said that a total of 295 students were enrolled in both the primary and secondary sections.

Director of Education, Korangi Town, Fahad Abbasi, said the sewerage line had been damaged during the construction of the Korangi 5 bridge when a pillar was built on it.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2025