Conversations with injured children and their parents at the hospital revealed a chilling truth: the roof of the school had been leaking and crumbling for the last four years. Both students and parents had repeatedly complained, but no action was taken. Shockingly, teachers had even asked villagers to collect Rs 200 per family to repair the roof themselves. Villagers say they did as told. Babulal, father of injured student Vikram, said, “We complained many times, but the teachers told us to gather money to fix the roof. We said, “When the government is paying you, and money is being allocated, why don’t you get it done? For your children, you build palaces, but for poor children like ours, there are only broken buildings.”His voice broke as he added, “If your child is pricked by a thorn, it hurts. Didn’t you think this roof would fall?”Tina, a Class 8 student, recounted the terrifying moment. “All classes were seated in one room. Pebbles had been falling from the ceiling. Some kids told the teacher, but he said, ‘Nothing will happen, sit quietly.’ Then suddenly, with a loud crash, a part of the roof fell from a corner. I ran outside. A few of us managed to escape before the entire roof collapsed, burying everyone else.”Following the tragedy, the Education Department launched emergency inspections across districts. District Education Officers have been instructed—under orders from the Chief Minister’s Office—to submit updated lists of unsafe school buildings.
Source link
