About Rs! 1 crore sanctioned for school, work to start soon: CEO
A minor girl in Kathua district has decided to crowd fund money for the facelift of her school.Seerat Naaz, a class 3 student at Government High school at Lohai Malhar Kathua in a video which went viral on social media can be heard saying that she received a prize Rs 2000 on August 15 and she donated it for school.“I will request everybody to at least donate at least Rs one each so that I can construct my school,” she added. “We belong to poor families and can’t afford to bear the expenses of private schools. That is why we need to work to make our own school well.”As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer KNO), Ghulam Haider, retired lecturer who is a local, said that Seerat had uploaded the first video in April following which all officers of the concerned department visited the school and assured that school will get whatever is required.He said that locals have been protesting for years so that the school will get facilities but that didn’t happen.”We don’t want to put blame on anyone as we all need to come forward for construction of the school,” he said.Sarfraz Ahmad, father of Seerat Naaz told KNO last year locals had donated some amount for some work and later after the first video went viral, tiles were laid in some rooms but those rooms are being used for office and other purposes.He said that a new building has been constructed but there are no windows and the floor is very unclean where students can’t sit and people often sit outside class.“Around 300 students are studying in the school and teachers have been trying well to educate students,” he said.Locals have sought the attention of higher ups in this regard so that poor students won’t suffer anymore.Chief Education Officer Kathua Prakash Thapa told KNO work worth Rs one crore will be done while work worth 24 lakhs is going on at the school.“Work worth 84 lakhs has been tendered out and very soon that work will be also done,” he said, adding that nothing can be done overnight as it is in hilly areas and takes time in taking material and other things there.“We have been trying our level best to provide them (students) all facilities as soon as possible,” he added