UNSPORTING SCHOOLS

The huge infrastructure available with majority of government schools is lying in a shambles, thanks to indifferent approach of school authorities. ALL SCHOOLS claim sports is an integral part of their curriculum. But the claim holds little water, especially in government schools. All it takes is a small stroll to the playfields of these schools to find out how fake these assertions are. The huge infrastructure, which majority of the government schools in the city possesses, is in a shambles as the school authorities have apparently not cared for its maintenance. Weeds and wild growth have covered the huge open areas and football fields, the volleyball nets are reduced to shreds and boards and rings are missing altogether from the basketball courts.
And the most common explanation for the unkempt infrastructure is that the session has just started and it would be soon in proper shape. "We are busy with admissions right now but we will soon carry out a maintenance drive for sports infrastructure," said Government Model School-38 principal Parkash Kaur.
The students however disagree. "The infrastructure has never been taken care of; it's in fact getting worse ever year," said a student of the school.
Government Model School-46 principal H.K. Bhatia also offered the same explanation. "We have no shortage of funds, but for carrying out any maintenance work above Rs 5,000 we have to take permission from DPI. We carry out maintenance drives whenever it's required or our sports teachers recommend it," said S.K Sharma, principal Government Model School-23.
Sports teachers of different schools however feel that school heads don't take enough interest in promoting sports and that's the reason why infrastructure was lying waste in most of the schools.
"Sports is better in private schools because the school heads take keen interest. But there is hardly any coordination between principal and sports faculty in government schools, said a sports teacher of a government school.
"I am aware of the declining sports standards in schools. It is a result of the lax approach of school authorities towards promotion of sports," said DPI (Schools) S.K Setia, adding that he would see into the matter