Two Years in a Mud Hut: This Primary School in Jaisalmer Village Finally Shifts to Temporary Shelter

Jaisalmer- Respite has finally come for the students of Ganeshpura Government Primary School as classes have been shifted to a nearby house. The school, which had been operating in a makeshift hut for the past two years, has recently been relocated to a more suitable location.

The school, located in the revenue village Ganeshpura of Bhurjgarh Gram Panchayat in Tehsil Phalsund of Pokaran in Jaisalmer district , has been facing challenges due to the absence of a proper school building. Villagers had constructed a mud hut to facilitate the education of children, but it was in a state of disrepair.

Most of the children hail from the Dalit community, and their socio-economic background is poor. Their parents, primarily laborers or farmers, lack resources to send their children to other schools.

During summer storms, the hut would often break apart, posing a risk to the safety of the students. Incidents occurred where the blackboard or other parts of the hut fell on small children, causing minor injuries. However, there was always a looming threat of more serious injuries.

Despite numerous appeals to political parties, administration, leaders, and the Gram Panchayat, the issue of constructing a proper school building was repeatedly ignored. Therefore, urgent action was needed to address the lack of basic facilities such as a school building, bathrooms, toilets, electricity, and water.

" The government approved the establishment of a primary school in the village two years ago, but operations faced significant challenges" said Devilal Meghwal, a local youth from the village. Initially, there was only a male teacher, but later the government deployed two female teachers in the school.

Classes from 1st to 5th grade are conducted at the school, with 28 enrolled students. Additionally, 15 children below the age of five are sent to the school by their parents, totaling 43 students attending daily. The school operated in shifts due to limited space.

Despite being operational for two years, the school lacked basic amenities such as water and electricity. Inclement weather, including rain and strong winds, often forced the closure of the school. Accidents caused by the collapsing hut during storms further compounded the safety concerns.

Raila Devi, the cook and helper responsible for preparing the mid-day meals for students, faced significant challenges due to the lack of proper facilities at Ganeshpura Government Primary School.

With no designated cooking area inside the makeshift hut used as a school building, Raila Devi had to prepare the food at her own home and transport it to the school in utensils.

"Winters are generally harsh for everyone, but for students and teachers in this school, winters had been amicable months as they could sit outside and learn in the open as the sun was welcoming then," Devilal says.

Kailash Meghwal, a social activist, raised the issue on social media, garnering the attention of local media and highlighting the problem. This drew the attention of the education department and the local MLA to take action.

Meghwal expressed that after constant complaints the department has finally assured them that the school will be shifted to a proper building soon. Additionally, all necessary resources will be provided starting from the next academic session.

"The summer vacation would begin in a week, prompting a temporary arrangement: the classes have been shifted from the mud hut to a nearby house with additional rooms. The Sarpanch has also assured that the Gram Panchayat building would be allocated to the school. Furthermore, a hall would be constructed within two months to ensure that children do not face any issues from the next session" Devilal informed.

The Mooknayak also spoke to Jaisalmer DEO Elementary, Ramnivas Sharma, who confirmed that the classes have been shifted to a more suitable location. He assured that all required resources will be granted starting from the next session onwards. Furthermore, he mentioned that the school patta (land ownership document) will be issued by the revenue department ensuring that no difficulties arise in the future.

This development brings hope for the students and the community of Ganeshpura, as they can look forward to a safer and more conducive learning environment in the coming academic year.