A serious issue with learning conditions for 172 students has been identified at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Residential School in Santigram, Hassan district, Karnataka. It is alleged that for the past five years, students have been forced to live and attend classes in premises that resemble a dormitory.
This residential school, managed by the Department of Social Welfare, accommodates 172 students from grades 6 to 10, including 92 boys and 80 girls. Due to the lack of various amenities in the school, students are compelled to combine learning, eating, and living in the same building.
According to available information, the condition of the school building is extremely unsatisfactory, and the students lack sufficient classrooms and basic facilities. There are reports that 6th-grade students are forced to study while sitting directly on the floor. Concerns about hygiene and sanitary conditions in the school complex are also raised: only five toilets are available for 92 boys, and adequate basic facilities are not provided for 80 girls.
It is reported that the building where the students reside lacks adequate natural light and ventilation. Under such conditions, questions arise regarding the long-term stay of children here for life and study. After this situation became known locally, concern over the students' condition increased. It is claimed that the children have been in these circumstances for about five years.
After this issue was raised, the Minister of Elementary and Secondary Education demanded that officials provide a detailed report on the entire situation. Furthermore, information on the current state of the school and the conditions provided to the students has been requested from the relevant department employees. The Department of Social Welfare stated that work on constructing a new school building for the students is underway.
According to department representatives, students currently have to remain in this complex because an alternative building could not be provided. Nevertheless, the allegations of inadequate conditions over five years raise serious questions about the administration's performance, as well as about the children's right to safety and education.