TAXILA, Feb 19: Sania Yousaf, a student of class one, starts her day at the Government Primary School in Samon, along with other students, by cleaning it.

“There is no sweeper,” says Sania, as her innocent explanation speaks volumes about everything wrong with the school, from teachers taking no interest in their job to lack of basic facilities. “We first clean the school and then attend classes.”

Built in 2005 the school’s boundary wall collapsed in the recent rains. Cracks are visible on the walls. There is no drinking water available. Students and teachers visit nearby houses for getting drinking water. The school has washrooms but without running water.

According to students, teachers take classes but irregularly. For the 83 registered students of the five classes, the school has two teachers – one male and one female.

On Saturday there was no teacher at the school as the students were playing outside.

In the absence of teachers, Umara Marium, a fifth grade student, was giving lessons. “I have appeared in primary examination and I have volunteered to teach junior classes. In the absence of teachers, I control students and give them lessons.” Unsa Bibi, another student, is not happy when classes are held in the open in winter. “We even do not have mats to sit on. We sit on the floor. Many students have fallen ill these days because of cold weather.”

Meanwhile, one of the teachers, Shafqat Hussain rushed back to the school, saying he went to the nearby village for lunch. He did not reply when asked why being the only teacher present in the school he left it to the care of students.

“We have five classes but only two rooms. That is why we take classes in the open,” he said. When asked about students like young Sania cleaning the school before taking classes, Mr Hussain claimed that the teachers and students clean it together.

Malik Mohammad Akhter, deputy district officer education, promised strict disciplinary action against teachers not taking classes or leaving school during duty time. “The school was built in a low lying area. Rainwater accumulated in its building,” he said, explaining the collapse of boundary wall. “It was built after some local people donated this land for it.”

He said now the education department has allocated Rs7 million for constructing new building for the school. “After getting a suitable site, the construction will start.”