BAHAWALPUR: The Government Girls High School in Sammasatta, one of the oldest government institutions in Bahawalpur district, is facing multiple problems, affecting the education and well-being of its 2,000 students.
The school, spread over eight kanals, has only 18 classrooms with 23 sections, forcing students to sit in an open steel and iron-erected shed, braving extreme weather conditions.
The shortage of classrooms has led to classes being held in the school’s verandas, which have been converted into makeshift classrooms. The school also lacks an assembly hall and a playground, depriving students of extracurricular activities, physical exercises and sports events. With only 30 teachers, the student-teacher ratio is highly imbalanced, making it challenging for teachers to impart lessons effectively.
The parents, who are struggling to bear the expenses of private schools, have urged the authorities to allocate special funds for the construction of new classrooms. They have proposed utilising the adjacent vacant land and old buildings belonging to the irrigation department, which could be transferred to the education department.
When contacted, Bahawalpur District Education Authority (DEA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tawakkal Hussain said he assumed the charge here about a few months back and was not aware of the school’s missing facilities. However, he assured that he would inspect the school and move recommendations for its improvement and construction of new classrooms to the government, requesting necessary funds.
Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2025
