Kadapra: The double-storey block at Kannassa Smaraka Government Higher Secondary School, Kadapra, in Pathanamthitta, where the high school section functioned, has been closed down based on an engineering department inspection report, which certified the building as unsafe.

The upper primary classes, which were conducted in the building, have been shifted to the nearby Government Lower Primary (LP) School, and the high school classes to the higher secondary block. However, the head teacher’s room, office and laboratory are continuing to function in the double-storey building as an alternative space is unavailable.

The building, now certified unsafe, was constructed in 1968, and chunks of cement have been collapsing from the roof during the last four years. While the authorities have not sanctioned any amount to construct a new building for high school classes, work for only ₹3.5 crore has been carried out to construct a new block for the higher secondary section, from the ₹5 crore allotted by KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board). The remaining ₹1.5 crore has not been utilised.

Similarly, an amount of ₹83 lakh sanctioned by Mathew T Thomas, MLA, to build a new auditorium in place of the old one, which was demolished, was returned without utilisation. Consequently, the school lacks an auditorium.

The district panchayat had also sanctioned ₹30 lakh at the beginning of the current academic year for maintenance of the school building. However, ₹9 lakh from this amount was transferred to Nedumbram Puthiyakavu School after the engineer who carried out the estimate reported that ₹21 lakh would be sufficient for the work. The panchayat assistant engineer also gave the building a fitness certificate based on an assurance that the maintenance work would be carried out at the earliest.

However, the building was found unsafe during a re-inspection executed based on a government directive issued after the death by electrocution of a school student at a school in Kollam, and permission was denied to conduct classes. Subsequently, the classes functioning in the building were shifted.

The higher secondary building lacks sufficient rooms to accommodate high school classes. Presently, the higher secondary classes have been shifted to the lab and two rooms handed over to conduct the three high school classes. As a result, two high school classes are functioning in one room.

As the high school computer lab is still occupying a room in the unsafe building and instructions have been given not to take students there, teachers are carrying the computers from the lab to the classrooms to impart lessons.

Meanwhile, the space for upper primary classes was found in the Government LP School by dividing the hall there into three rooms. Even though the building used to store lab equipment of the high school was also certified unsafe and its demolition was recommended, the authorities are yet to take any action. Incidentally, the equipment belonging to the new training centre opened at the school are kept in an old building right in front of the higher secondary block.