Photographs from a government-run school in Karnataka have raised serious questions about the state of its education infrastructure. At the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Residential School in Shantigrama village of Hassan district, 172 children have reportedly been living for nearly five years inside a structure that was originally built to house animals. Once the images began circulating on social media, they triggered widespread public anger, prompting the state government to step in.
The school falls under the Social Welfare Department and enrolls students from class 6 through class 10. Of the 172 students, 92 are boys and 80 are girls. As soon as the matter came to light, the state's Primary and Secondary Education Minister asked officials for a complete report on the current condition of the students and the facilities available at the school.
One shed doubling as classroom, dining hall and dormitory
The core problem is that no separate, adequate housing or classroom space was ever built for the students. As a result, the same enclosure once used to keep cattle is now serving three purposes at once, as a classroom, a dining area and a night-time dormitory. The shed is said to have extremely poor ventilation and very limited natural light, deepening concerns around hygiene and health. Class 6 students are reportedly forced to sit directly on the floor to study because there are not enough desks.
Only five toilets for 92 boys, girls face the same shortage
The clearest sign of how inadequate the facilities are lies in the toilet count. It has been alleged that just five toilets are available for the 92 boys at the school, a number considered grossly insufficient for a group that size. The 80 girls are also said to be lacking basic facilities. Hundreds of children living, eating and studying under these conditions for such an extended stretch of time points to a serious lapse in oversight.
Department's response: a new building is under construction
The Social Welfare Department has offered an explanation for the situation. According to the department, construction of a new school building is currently underway, and until it is completed no suitable alternative building was available to house the students, which is why they were shifted into the shed-like structure. That explanation, however, does not settle the larger question of why children were left in such a temporary and unsafe arrangement for as long as five years.
With the state government now demanding a detailed report, education department officials are expected to visit the school themselves to assess the facilities on offer and the living and learning conditions of the students. What action follows that report, and how soon the children get a proper, safe building, remains to be seen.
