Gyalpoizhing Central School had to offer its lower campus to the Gylapoizhing Information and Technology College, which opens this July. But the sacrifice came at a price. It cost the comfort of the central school students who found themselves crammed into congested hostels and classrooms.
Five hundred and ninety four students are crammed into hostels that are designed to accommodate only 352. The situation has forced some students to study outside their rooms.
“We faced so many difficulties after we handed over our lower campus to the college. Prior to that, we used to study in the lower campus. But now we take turns to study in classrooms in the upper campus,” said Sangay Lhendup.
Another student, Ugyen Dema, said sharing beds is not comfortable. “It’s very uncomfortable for two people to study on one bed. It’s also difficult to maintain hygiene.”
According to the Deputy Chief Education Officer of Monggar, Lham Dorji, the central school phased out class 11 this year to ease classroom and hostel congestion. The students were transferred to other central schools.
He added the other central schools are not able to take in many students as they, too, have a large number of students.
He shared that the construction of classrooms and hostels is underway at Kidheykhar Central School but not at Gylapoizhing.
With no solution in sight for now, at least for now, it is likely the students might have to endure the crowded condition no matter how inconvenient.
