Anakapalli: Govt school students break down over lack of facilities; video goes viral

Anakapalle: A video of girls crying frantically at Mahatma Jyothi Bha Phule School hostel has shocked Andhra Pradesh. Students complained about the lack of basic facilities in the hostel,, Girls broke down as they fear they may not perform well in the upcoming SSC examinations.

This incident happened in Mahatma Jyothi Bha Phule BC Girls' Residential School in Lingarajupalem of S Rayavaram Mandal in Anakapalli district. Girl's students alleged that school management was showing disinterest in holding classes even as the academic year was coming to a close.

The residential school has been running in the cyclone shelter building for the past three years. Around 250 girl students, as against the strength of 100, are staying in the residential school.

No proper toilets

The girl students say that due to a lack of sufficient and proper toilet facilities, they had to switch off the light in the verandah of the building to take a bath at night. "We are taking a bath outside the building by switching off the lights and covering bedsheets as walls. There was no way out for the bathroom wastewater, and we are suffering from skin infections, " said a girl student.

We fear failing:

"We are not able to study in the school. Our parents have a lot of hopes for us, and they are working hard to bring us to a good situation. But the teachers are not teaching us. There are many problems. We fear failing in examinations, " said a student.

Students say they need help to comprehend Telugu or social science lectures. They allege that they have not completed the syllabus.

Many problems

Students said no one has responded to their pleas in the last three years. "We convert classrooms into hostel rooms during the night because there are no separate hostels. We keep all the benches outside the classroom at night and sleep inside. A foul smell emanating from the drainage outside is making things worse", said a student.

Students requested the authorities to immediately take action and provide better facilities.

What do the officials say?

Regional Joint Director Jyothi Kumari, DRDA PD Lakshman, Women's Commission member Geddam Uma, and Deputy DEO Prem Kumar visited the school and interacted with the students.

"We would bring it to the notice of the Chief Minister. Before the 2019 elections, the previous government promised to establish 55 new schools. Under the new YSRCP government, as per the notification, we have set up this school in a cyclone rehabilitation center. We would shift the school to a new building", said Uma Geddam, Women's Commission member.