In some schools, students continue to bear the brunt of under-resourced schools. With no dining halls, no science laboratory, and limited access to basic amenities, children are learning under difficult conditions. Lingmethang Middle Secondary School in Monggar is one such school where infrastructure gaps are affecting students’ well-being.
It is lunchtime at Lingmethang Middle Secondary School. But instead of heading to a dining hall, students make their way to a temporary kitchen set built on the football ground. It is roughly a five-minute walk from their classrooms.
With temperatures soaring above 37 degrees Celsius, students line up under the blistering sun.
Without a proper dining hall or kitchen, they are forced to find shade to have their meals.
Makeshift tents have been erected, but students say the heat inside is unbearable.
Many eat their meals with sweat streaming down their faces.
Tashi Dorji, a student said, “We don’t have a dining hall at our school, that’s why we have to bear heat during sunny days and on rainy days, we have to eat our lunch under umbrella. We have a temporary tent here but staying under the tent is even hot.”
Sangay Choden, another student said, “We get delicious lunch from school but due to heat it is hard for us to enjoy the meal.”
Likewise, Tshering Pem said, “Even if we get healthy and delicious lunch from our school, due to lack of a dining hall facility, we are suffering under the scorching heat. If we have a dining hall, it will benefit everyone of us and it will benefit the young ones the most.”
Similarly, Phuntsho Namgay said, “We have to eat under the sun. It is convenient when we can find some shades. After lunch, we become lethargic due to heat.”
The school started the day meal programme in 2021. There are more than 360 students studying from classes PP to 10.
Besides dining hall, the school lacks a multipurpose hall, science laboratory, library, staff quarters, and sports facilities which are required for a standard middle secondary school.
The Saling Gewog Administration has also appealed to relevant offices to upgrade the facilities.
Yeshi Jamtsho, the principal of Lingmethang MSS said, “Since last year when I got placed here, I wrote to the ministry citing the situation at the school and stressed on what is required at the school urgently. In response, we were told that there is not much budget as it is allocated to central schools. The response said that they will look after our appeal if there is any budget left.”
Sonam, Saling Gup said, “There are many institutions and regional offices in Lingmithang. Moreover, the Gyalsung Academy is also located here in Bongdeyma. Similarly, the Dorjilung Hydropower Project is expected to begin soon adding enrollment pressure on the school. The population and number of students is growing every year. It will also benefit the students from far flung chiwog such as Drogsar, Sengor, Kalapang and Mangling if there is a boarding facility.”
During the recent Meet the Press session, the director of the Department of School Education said Nu 6.5 M has already been approved for the construction of a kitchen and dining hall for the school in the current financial year. However, he added that upgrading to a boarding school is not in the plan yet.
Namgay Wangchuk, Monggar
Edited by Tshering Zam
