126-year-old school in Bantwal, Mangaluru awaits repair of toilets, roof

The toilets of a 126-year-old Government Upgraded Higher Primary School at Mudungarukatte in Balepuni of Bantwal taluk are crying for attention.

The toilets are old and the restoration work needs to be taken up urgently. Though the school has been writing to the authorities concerned, no measures have been taken up so far. The toilets cannot be used.

The Mudungarukatte School is 126 years old with 154 children pursuing their studies between classes 1 to 8. In addition, 35 children are pursuing their studies in LKG. Under the Madari Grama Abhiyana, initiated by the Jana Shikshana Trust, an NGO, the SDMC, with the help of donors, have installed Selco Smart Class System at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 lakh. Even the roof of the school building is leaking.

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The School authorities had written to the Bantwal Taluk Panchayat president in January 2019, to take measures to repair the roof of the school building and toilets during its 125th year celebrations.

There is a need to repair the roof, repair toilets and the soak pit, and the place of washing hands by children. It is estimated that Rs 20 lakh for school roof repair, Rs 4 lakh for the toilet repair and Rs 1 lakh for the repair the place for the washing hands, is required.

In 2020-21, under the MGNREGS, BEO office, Bantwal, too had prepared an action plan for the construction of toilets at a cost of Rs 3 lakh, and installation of rainwater harvesting system at a cost of Rs 1.40 lakh under the MGNREGS.

In fact, the School authorities, in May 2020, had submitted an appeal to the BEO office following a circular by the commissioner of Department of Public Instruction, on basic facilities for government schools. The School headmistress had sought the repair of roof building (Rs 20 lakh), repair of toilets (Rs 5 lakh) and furniture for schoolchildren (Rs 3 lakh).

On noticing the poor condition of toilets, Jana Shikshana Trust director and MGNREGS former Ombudsman Sheena Shetty has also written to Balepuni GP PDO, the Taluk Panchayat and the Zilla Panchayat, on the measures to be taken in the School.

There is a need to repair the roof of the school building by installing rooftop sheets. The old toilets need to be demolished and new ones should be constructed, she said.