For the nearly 150 students of Government Elementary School Brahman Majra in Sirhind, life at school is strikingly similar to the traditional gurukul. Reason: they attend classes sitting under a tree as construction on the school building is yet to be completed.

In the name of drinking water facilities, all that students have is a single earthen pitcher that caters to the entire lot.

Officials with the school blame paucity of funds for the delay in construction as the grant released by the Education department proved to be insufficient.

“All our funds went into increasing the ground level of the school,” said an official.

On the lack of basic amenities, a student said, “The only earthen pitcher available is filled everyday from a nearby house. Both the quality and quantity of water need to be monitored.”

Even the mid-day meal is not prepared at the school as food is arranged from elsewhere.

“The school works from a small temple room and all the school furniture and documents are kept inside that. The teachers arrange food from a nearby school,” said a village resident.

With the given conditions, it comes as no surprise to hear a student fall sick almost every other day.

“With the prevalent heat wave, many students fall sick. We have no option, but to send them home,” said a teacher with the school.

District Education Officer (Elementary) Surinder Singh said that while the school had been issued a grant of Rs 4.75 lakh, a major portion of it has gone into raising the ground level of the school

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