Hisar temple-school rivalry intensifies, leading to student dropout rates

The government primary school and a temple, which share a wall, on a plot of property owned by the market committee at the grain market in Hisar town, have been at odds for a few months now, despite having coexisted for over forty years.

Because they want to enlarge the temple, the temple administrators want the school to leave the property.

Three days ago, there was a verbal altercation between the temple officials and the school personnel. The school in charge then summoned the police to intervene. Today, representatives from the District Elementary Education Department gave a call to every employee to talk about the matter.

The pupils have also suffered as a result of the struggle. Due to the lack of basic amenities such as restrooms, the student body has decreased from 170 last year to around 140 this year. There are five instructors at the school, four of them are female. The surrounding shrubs are where staff and students are compelled to relieve themselves.

The school’s in-charge, Neelam, said that some pupils had ceased attending after the altercation on Monday, during which the temple officials caused a disturbance on the school grounds. “We hope that action will be taken against those who broke into the school. We have brought the matter to the attention of the District Elementary Education Office,” the woman said.

Ashok Gupta, the temple’s Pradhan, said that the school ought to be moved to Ambedkar Colony, where former minister Savitri Jindal built a school. “There is no need for this school in the grain market, so we want it moved here and we implore the district administration to make other arrangements,” he said.