Peddapur Gurukul students scared to return to school

The school was closed for 20 days following the sudden death of two students as well as frequent illness of many students due to unknown reasons.

Jagityal: Students of the Peddapur Gurukul are still scared of returning to school. Despite efforts of the school staff, the attendance at the Gurukul has not reached its full capacity even six days after reopening.

The school was closed for 20 days following the sudden death of two students as well as frequent illness of many students due to unknown reasons. It was reopened on September 4 after doing some precautionary measures were put in place and repairs were done.

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Initially, authorities started classes for Class 10 and Intermediate students. However, only 23 intermediate students turned up for school on the reopening day. Of them, 20 were first year students and the remaining three were second year students.

As the Gurukul Schools Secretary and the District Collector gave permission to run the school in a full fledged manner, authorities decided to conduct classes for all sections from Monday onwards and communicated it to students and their parents.

However, there was no proper response from the students as well as parents. Principal Madhavi Latha is conducting meetings with the parents who come to the school and trying to convince them by promising the safety of their wards.

About 100 students of Intermediate and Class 10 are there in the school now as against its total strength of 550.

The troubles in the residential school began with the death of a Class 7 student Rajarapu Ganaditya (13) on July 26 this year. Another student Yedamalla Anirudh (12) of Class 6 died on August 9. Both of them died of unknown reasons. Many students fell sick as well during the same period.

Worried over the safety of their wards, parents took their children from the school after the death of Anirudh. In order to take up repair works, authorities declared holidays for the school.

To know the ground reality, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka had visited the school on August 13 and assured steps to prevent such incidents in future and to provide all facilities.

Based on instructions from higher officials, sanitation works were taken up on the school premises besides clearing bushes and closing a few wells located on the school premises. Fans and windows were fixed in classrooms. After completing repair works, the school was reopened on September 4.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Principal Madhavi Latha said they had started classes for Class 5 to intermediate students on Monday. They were trying to instill confidence among parents by promising the safety of their wards. Presently, about 100 students of intermediate and Class X were there in the school, she informed.