Boundary wall of Hyderabad\'s century-old Darulshifa school collapses due to rains

Hyderabad: A part of the boundary wall at the Government High School, Darulshifa, which has a history spanning more than 100 years and a rich and long-standing heritage, collapsed as a result of the heavy rains that the city has been experiencing.

Although there were no reported casualties, the school administration told Deccan Chronicle that the building has grown weak and could collapse at any time if the heavy rains keep battering it. The school, which was first started in 1920 and was once known as ‘Osmania Dawakhana’, begs for attention.

The main block has been closed for the past five years since portions of the ceiling have been falling to the ground. “The science lab and the headmaster's office were both located in the main building. Pieces of the ceiling were falling as a result of the water leak and seepage. According to Mohammed Masood Uddin Ahmed, the in-charge headmaster, "We chose to close the building for safety reasons. Parents are afraid to send their children to the school because of the awful condition of the building.”

Additionally, water seeps into the below-ground classrooms and spills out of the aluminium shelters. When it rains heavily, the students are asked to leave since because they will get drenched to the bone. Further, the school management bemoaned that when it rains, books get soiled and soaked.

The school, which was initially an Urdu-medium institution, started offering English medium in 2020.  The school has numerous problems in addition to the dilapidated state of the structure. For the school's 70 kids, a headmaster, and five staff, there are just two washrooms.

The washrooms are not in a useable state. They are filthy and overflowing with tree limbs, muck, and garbage. Only boys use one of the washroom blocks, which is at least 30 years old, according to Mohammed Zaheer Uddin, a physical science instructor at the school.

The entire block could collapse at any time; therefore the teachers and students are afraid to use the washroom. The installed urinals are covered in dirt and debris. No one uses the washrooms unless there is an emergency, he noted.

The headmaster said funds needed to pay the cleaning staff, chalks, cleaning supplies, school registers, and other items have not been given by the government for a year. With no help from the government, the school teachers’ chip in money for these supplies and salary payments. Additionally, the school only has five teachers on duty, and Telugu and Social Studies have no appointed instructors. "The government hasn't provided us with adequate teaching staff. Subjects including Urdu, Arabic, Science, English, and Mathematics are taught by all of the available teachers. The position of English medium teacher is unfilled,” Mohammed Zaheer Uddin stated.

The officer, head master in-charge, and teachers have written multiple letters to the representatives of the education department asking them to improve the amenities at the school. These letters, however, have gone unanswered.