283 of 1,571 Zilla Parishad schools in Amravati district have no playground
Only 1,288 of the district's Zilla Parishad schools have their own playground, leaving thousands of rural pupils without a place to play.
Every year the government announces measures for sports development so that village children can come up in sport and make a name at the district, state and national levels. The actual condition of Zilla Parishad schools in Amravati district, however, shows these announcements up. It has emerged that as many as 283 Zilla Parishad schools in the district have no playground of their own.
The district has 1,571 Zilla Parishad schools in all, of which 1,288 have their own playground. The remaining 283 schools have no dedicated space for children to play. Thousands of pupils in these schools have to look for a place to play, and a question mark now hangs over their sporting future.
Whether it is the games period or the time after school, teachers too face the question of where the children should play. Pupils in schools without a ground have to make do with a small school platform, a narrow compound, private land next door or an open public space in the village.
In such conditions, running freely, jumping, practising or holding athletic competitions becomes almost impossible. As a result, talented students in rural areas do not get the sports facilities they need from the very start.
Under the Right to Education Act, several important norms have to be met when primary and secondary schools are recognised. Basic facilities such as a playground, drinking water, toilets and a headmaster's office are expected to be inspected regularly. Parents are asking how such schools are inspected and how their recognition continues when they have no playground.
Anjangaon Surji, a taluka of Amravati district, is in a more serious state as far as sports facilities are concerned. It is the only taluka in the district that still has no taluka sports complex of its own. The issue has been stuck for many years because government land needed for a sports complex is not available near the town. Despite repeated demands, no firm solution has been found yet.
On one side, children in rural areas have sporting talent; on the other, grounds and sports facilities are lacking. Parents and sports lovers are now asking pointedly how children who never get a chance to run on a ground will reach the state and national levels.
