HYDERABAD: Despite securing the top position in Hyderabad district for two consecutive years, Government Junior College for Girls, Maisram, Barkas, in the Old City has been running short of five rooms in Maisram Government High School since it was established in 2008.
Despite several applications to GHMC commissioner, district collector and district education officer for commission of a building of their own, the 322-strong college — the only girls’ junior college from Jalpally near Pahadi Shareef to Chandrayangutta — has to run with grown up girls cramping together in primary-school benches and without any toilet, drinking water facility or playground.
“We have to accommodate some 60 students in each class. For the first year, we have two sections but have to merge them in the second year due to lack of space. To manage with the primary school timings, we have to start college at 1 pm,” said college principal Sadeqa Begum.
The Urdu and English media college offers courses in Commerce, Economics and Civics, besides English and Urdu. “We want to introduce Science. Parents want their children to study science. But they won’t send the girls beyond Chandrayangutta to study. So, the girls opt for CEC combination,” she added.
The college sees attendance of students from Jalpally, Pahadi Shareef, Shaheen Nagar, Bandlaguda, Babanagar, Errakunta and Wadi-e-Mustafa besides Barkas.
“We were district toppers in junior college results for 2014 and 2015 but in 2016, we came second and the lack of buildings is one of the main reasons,” Sadeqa added.
“The students can’t relieve themselves till the college gets over,” said Civics teacher Haseena Uzma.
“The drinking water we get from house gets over by the time college ends,” said Farhana Begum of Nurinagar.
“We can’t write properly due to smaller benches. That is affecting our studies,” said Sania Mohammadi of Shaheen Nagar.
Also, transportation is a big issue when the college ends at 5 pm. “The secondary school gets over with us. All students rush to the bus stop near CRPF camp. Many a times, the bus driver does not stop seeing overcrowded students,” said Zabeen Bibi of Errakunta.
However, Maisram government high school headmistress Zainab Sultana said she met MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on August 10. “He assured us that our school would be shifted to the vacated Quli Qutb Shah residential school nearby, which has 40 rooms, and the the school building can be taken over by the junior college,” she said.
“He assured that the works would be done within 6 months with half government help and half from his MLA funds,” she added.
Courtesy: New Indian Express