Bengaluru

Girls’ High School

library

laboratory

headmasters

BBMP

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Bangalore

By Y Maheswara ReddyFor the last one and a half years, students of the BruhatMahanagara Palikehad no access to theand the science. All because twowere locked in a who-will-blink-first challenge over… wait for it… a key.Marigowda, the then headmaster of the Girls’ school was transferred to theBoys’ High School at Jogupalya, just one km away from Murphy Town.Venkateshappa M who was appointed as the headmaster of the BBMP Girls’ School in Murphy Town did not contact Marigowda for the keys of the library and laboratory.And both Marigowda and Venkateshappa have their reasons why they did what they did.Says Marigowda, “I wanted to hand over the keys (of the lab and the library) to Venkateshappa but he refused to take the keys. He wanted to take an inventory of books donated by an NGO. I told him that my predecessor had just handed over the keys to me and I wanted to do the same but he refused to take the keys.’’Venkateshappa on the other hand said, “I was not sure about the books in the library which a NGO help set up in 2016. I wanted to be sure before I took charge.”With both headmasters not willing to budge, the students obviously became the victims. The BBMP Girls’ school once had about 100 students with six sections – two sections for each class from Class 8 to Class 9.Now it has 24 students, but only 20 attend class regularly.A few Lokayukta officials visited the school last week to verify the supply of uniforms and other material but they did not seem to have been made aware of the key issue.A teacher who did not wish to be identified says, “There is no coordination between Marigowda and Venkateshappa. Both the headmasters are responsible for keeping the library and the laboratory locked for 18 months.”If you’re baffled about two headmasters keeping books and lab equipment under lock and key, there’s more shocking news that will curdle the milk in your coffee.WhenMirror visited Class 10, the teacher was not sure whether she was taking class for students of Class 8 or Class 9.“These are Class 8 students,’’ the teacher announced, only to be quickly corrected by the students that they were students of Class 9.The actual strength of Class 9 at the BBMP school is nine students but only four had attended class on Friday. There are six teachers in charge of 24 students – 10 students in Class 8, nine students in Class 9, and six students in Class 10.Finally, when this BM reporter reached the school with Marigowda, Venkateshappa was away at Mayo Hall. He later arrived and an argument ensued between Marigowda and Venkateshappa. Finally, peace was brokered between the two by the correspondent and Venkateshappa agreed to accept the keys without an inventory, on Friday evening.Incidentally, the library and the lab were set up by an NGO, and two classrooms were converted to make space for books and lab equipment in 2016.“Now, I have to look for workers to clean the laboratory and the library,’’ says Venkateshappa.Let’s hope this does not take another 18 months.