Shillong, Jun 2: The parents of students of Shillong Public School in Laitumkhrah have raised an objection to the handing over of the school playground to a private body for maintenance.
In a memorandum to authorities of the Education Department, the parents stated, as a consequence of this arrangement, students of the school are no longer being allowed to use the school field as they used to do during school hours for physical education, sports activities, recreation and other school-related purposes.
“The school field forms an integral part of the educational environment and is essential for the physical well-being, holistic development and extracurricular growth of students. Restricting access to such a facility adversely affects the students’ educational experience and overall development,” the parents stated.
They added that, in the interest of transparency and in order to better understand the terms governing the present arrangement, they are seeking access to the relevant agreement under which the school field has been entrusted to the private body for maintenance.
The parents also urged authorities to restore access to the students.
An agreement was signed in February between the Education Department and the Sports and Youth Affairs Department and on May 14 Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui inaugurated the newly renovated football arena. The parents alleged that the ground is being commercialised at the expense of the school children, who are now forced to play on the cemented floor.
