Cooch Behar dist authorities probe dilapidated conditions at school

Cooch Behar: Following the Chief Minister’s directive, Cooch Behar District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Meena and District Police Superintendent Dyutiman Bhattacharya inspected the poor condition of Jenkins School on Thursday.

Jenkins School is one of Cooch Behar’s heritage schools known for producing excellent state-level results in Secondary and Higher Secondary education.

However, the school is currently in a dilapidated state, with classrooms and teachers’ staff rooms badly affected. During the monsoon season, classrooms frequently flood, severely impacting education. Despite notifying the Public Works Department (PWD) about these issues, no action has been taken so far.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Cooch Behar on Monday provided an opportunity for teachers and students of Jenkins School to highlight their plight. They requested her intervention as she passed by their school gate en route to perform Puja at the Madanmohan Temple on Tuesday. The Chief Minister stopped her convoy, engaged with the teachers and students and was informed about their challenges. Subsequently, she directed the District Magistrate and District Police Superintendent to inspect the school and address the issues.

During their visit on Thursday, District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Meena stated: “When the Chief Minister visited Cooch Behar, the school brought its problems to her attention. I visited the school accordingly, accompanied by PWD officials who also examined the premises. Water leakage in the classrooms remains a significant concern.”

Head teacher Priyotosh Sarkar expressed hope that the District Magistrate’s visit would expedite the resolution of the school’s problems, emphasising the students’ difficulties.