Pulwama’s young students endure scorching heat as school construction stalls

PULWAMA — Inside the Government Upper Primary School (UPS) Chewakalan in Pulwama, the sound of children reciting lessons mingles with the relentless clang of tin sheets baking under the harsh sun. For more than a year, children as young as six here have been forced to study in sweltering, makeshift tin sheds—their only “classrooms” as the construction of a new building remains painfully incomplete.

The scorching summer heat turns these sheds into ovens, while winter transforms them into icy chambers. With no fans, no proper insulation, and no respite from extreme weather, students and teachers alike endure unbearable conditions.

Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a local resident, shakes his head as he watches children fan themselves with notebooks. “These are small kids—how can they concentrate when they’re sweating or shivering in these tin boxes?” he asks. “For years, they’ve been promised a proper school, but nothing changes.”

An elderly villager, who did not wish to be named, added, “It’s heartbreaking. The teachers try their best, but even they struggle. The authorities must see this suffering and act.”

Parents say the construction of the new building was abruptly halted last year, leaving the structure incomplete and the students stranded. Despite repeated pleas, there has been no clarity on when work will resume.

“If the work doesn’t resume soon, our children should get a better accommodation for the classrooms. We can’t see them suffer like this. It is a pity!” the elderly man sighed.

When contacted, Zonal Education Officer Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo acknowledged the problem but shifted responsibility to the Roads & Buildings (R&B) department. “Our department has done its part. Now, R&B Pulwama must finish the work so we can hand over the building to the school,” he said, adding that “80% of the construction is done—only electrical work and minor tasks remain.”

However, Executive Engineer Javid Ahmad Dar of R&B Pulwama cited financial delays. “The project cost is ₹110.36 lakh, and the contractor is owed over ₹20 lakh,” he explained. “Once more funds are released, work will resume soon.”

As the mercury rises, so does the desperation of parents and students. Every day spent in these tin sheds is a day stolen from a proper education. The district administration must intervene—release funds, hold contractors accountable, and ensure these children are given the classrooms they deserve.

“Enough excuses,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. “Our children cannot wait any longer.”