Not long ago, the Korphu Primary School, under Korphu Gewog in Trongsa, used to be filled with the sound of the timely bell, and the laughter and the cries of young learners but now silence reigns the school and is gradually turning into ruins.
Beautifully located on the slope of Korphu Toed village, the school was opened in 1991. It was the first school in the gewog. Many of the locals spent their time in the school either as students or as proud parents seeing their children’s first step towards education. The school was closed last year after it was found short of three students to meet the extended classroom criterion of 10 students. The untimely ruin is taking a toll on their sentimental attachment with the school, they allege that neither concerned officials properly handed over the school to the community nor they assured them of reopening it in the future if there are enough number of students.
With no official handing taking to care and utilise the school’s infrastructure, the school is turned into a grazing ground with broken glasses and scattered materials all over the place.
“The government after spending a huge amount constructed about fifteen houses here. Now it has become a shelter for animals. We are in a dilemma whether to take care or leave it turn into ruins as we did not do the proper hand taking,” said Pema Gyeltshen, the Korhu Toed Tshogpa.
“It was the first school established in the Korphu Gewog. Now seeing animals in the school premises and teaching materials scattered all over, not only the locals but gewog administration is disheartened too,” added Sangay Khandu, the Korphu Gup.
Locals say sending their children to faraway schools is inconvenient especially when their children could barely look after themselves. For now, most of the children are enrolled in a boarding school of Nabi Primary School and the parents find it difficult to constantly monitor their growing children.
“It is very hard for our children to take care of themselves when they are admitted to the central schools from a very tender age and in the classes of one or two,” said Thinley Dorji, a parent from Korphu in Trongsa.
However, the district education sector says, the office tried to approach the locals several times for the official handing taking but locals failed to cooperate since they were busy with their farm schedules then. The office is ready to officially hand over anytime herein.
“Education sector has already planned to hand over to the gewog centre and we would leave it up to the gewog as how they want to utilise the structures. And in case if there are more or enough children in the future who could be enrolled in the school, then we would gladly reopen the school again,” said Pemba T Gyeltshen, the Chief District Education Officer at Trongsa.
Meanwhile, locals wish if school infrastructures could be used for any community development activities, small agricultural industry or viable centres to benefit the community rather then leaving it idle.
Passang
