Beed Zilla Parishad School Classroom Collapses

A major tragedy was averted when the wall and roof of a dilapidated classroom at the Zilla Parishad Secondary School in Therla village of Patoda tehsil, Beed, collapsed around midnight on Thursday. Fortunately, the school was closed at the time, preventing any loss of life.

The incident has once again highlighted the alarming condition of government school infrastructure and raised serious questions over administrative negligence. The school, which provides education up to Class 10, has around 230 students and was built in 1965. Five of its classrooms have become structurally unsafe.

The headmaster and the School Management Committee had repeatedly urged the authorities to repair or reconstruct the ageing building, but no action was taken. Despite the construction of five new classrooms having begun, the project remains incomplete, forcing students to continue attending classes in the old and unsafe structure.

With the monsoon increasing the risk, one of the classrooms eventually collapsed on Thursday night. Since the school was closed, a potentially fatal accident was avoided. Headmaster Pratap Kale said the school administration had repeatedly informed the authorities about the deteriorating condition of the building and had sought repairs well before the onset of the monsoon.

Social activist Dr Ganesh Dhavale has demanded an immediate structural audit of the school building and the allocation of funds for constructing new classrooms through the District Annual Plan. In a written representation, he appealed to Guardian Minister Sunetra Pawar, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Jithin Reghunath and Primary Education Officer Jayashree Chavan to take urgent action.

The collapse of the classroom has affected classroom teaching, with students from the affected classroom being shifted to the under-construction building. However, the temporary arrangement lacks blackboards, seating facilities and other basic amenities.

Expressing anguish over the incident, School Management Committee Chairman Ganesh Rakh alleged that official apathy had put students' lives at risk. He demanded immediate funds for the construction of a new school building, saying that parents have repeatedly approached the Education Department, but the administration has ignored their appeals.

The incident highlights the need for urgent attention to the condition of government school infrastructure in the state. It is essential that the authorities take immediate action to address the issue and ensure the safety of students.

In conclusion, the collapse of the dilapidated classroom at the Zilla Parishad Secondary School in Beed is a wake-up call for the authorities to take immediate action to address the issue of poor school infrastructure. It is crucial that the government takes steps to ensure the safety of students and provides them with a conducive learning environment.