News
This school lacks facilities
View(s):Many schools lack basics. ThePayagala Mahagammedda Junior School is an example of this sad reality. The fact that many schools throughout the island continue to lack even basic amenities.
Story and Pix by Sarath Siriwardena
This school, which currently has a student population of 850, has no proper playground. Parents say the piece of land that serves as the playground is nothing more than marshland.
Despite the many shortcomings, its students performed creditably at the 2017 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, resulting in the school coming first in the Beruwala Education Division.
Despite the school’s excellent academic achievements, its students still have no proper place to engage in sports or other extracurricular activities.
With no alternative, students are forced to use a muddy field as their playground.
Many go home from school in mud-spattered uniforms.
Parents are calling on authorities and well-wishers to help fill up the marsh which goes as a playground and build a wall around it, in order to ensure that students have a proper playground.
A teacher leads a batch of students across the mud pit which is referred to as the school grounds
A teacher, cane in hand, leads her pupils across the mud fields
A girl takes a flying leap to clear a soggy patch to reach the school ‘grounds’
Children taking action to avoid dirtying their clothes and shoes to reach school