After demolition of school buildings, students of Government Middle school attend classes under tree shade in Vellore

Students at the Government Panchayat Union Middle School in Kottaiyur, , were attending classes under shades of trees, after two buildings with four classrooms were demolished in mid-2024 due to its fragile condition. Kottaiyur is a small farming village at the foothills of Jawadhu Hills in Vellore.

Residents said that since the demolition of the buildings, most of the 134 students, including 67 girls were attending their daily classes under the trees on the campus. “Despite good teaching, we are worried about the safety of children, who have to attend classes in the open. With the Northeast monsoon set to begin soon, alternative arrangements should be made to ensure students attend classes in a safe place,” said R. Bakiyam, a resident.

Spread over 8,000 sq.ft, the school that was built in 1954 and maintained by the School Education Department, consisted of three school buildings that have spacious classrooms.