16 july 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : For students of Government High School, Kheri Gandhean, in Rajpura tehsil, Patiala, the real challenge isn’t mathematics or English. It’s the perilous daily journey across the busy four-lane Patiala-Rajpura highway (NH-64) that stands between them and their education.
This is happening even when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state is claiming the transformation of government schools, especially in the villages.
Every day, 200 students from classes VI to X negotiate heavy traffic and speeding vehicles to reach school. The return journey is equally treacherous with students repeating this dangerous crossing in the afternoon.
“Sada bapu kehra DC lagya. My father is not Deputy Commissioner. We are destined to go to school each day by putting our life at risk,” lamented an eighth-grader, relieved to have survived another day.
Tarsem Singh, a local resident, accompanies his children and helps others cross the road safely.
“Every day, I leave the house praying that the children should reach home safely. This school caters to children of nearly 10 villages located in the surrounding area. I have started to believe that the authorities are waiting for a tragedy to occur before taking action,” he said.
Despite repeated pleas, highway authorities have not installed signboards, speed-breakers or pedestrian overpasses to ensure students’ safety.
“No signboard has been installed on either side of the highway to suggest that there is a school ahead. Further, no speed-breakers, humps, cushions or tables have been built to slow down the speed of the motorists in front of the school,” Singh added.
Naib Singh, principal of Kheri Gandhean High School, expressed his concern, saying that numerous letters have been sent to the authorities demanding safety measures for students.