No building, no benches: Gaya primary school runs from temple for 28 years
For nearly three decades, children of a Bihar government school studied on the ground inside a temple complex. Teachers, students and villagers said repeated pleas were ignored despite daily risks and lack of facilities.
For 28 years, children at Baksu Bigha Primary School in Gaya district have been studying sitting on the bare ground inside a roadside temple complex, exposed to scorching heat, biting cold and monsoon rain.
The school, located in Baksu Bigha village near Kendui on the Gaya–Bodhgaya road, has been functioning from the temple premises since 1998 without a building of its own.
Despite claims of improved governance and education in Bihar, students from Classes 1 to 5 continue to attend lessons under a tree or in the open temple courtyard.
Some children sit inside the temple during rain, while others remain outdoors, surrounded by dust and noise from the busy road.
A SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS OR BASIC FACILITIES
Baksu Bigha Primary School has 94 enroled students and five teachers. There are no classrooms, benches or blackboards.
All children sit on the ground to study. Drinking water is drawn from a hand pump located inside the temple complex, and the school has no toilet facilities.
If a child needs to use the toilet, they are sent home. Teachers say this disrupts learning and poses safety concerns.
Studying inside a temple by the roadside also poses safety concerns. There is constant dust from passing vehicles, and teachers fear children might wander onto the busy road.
When students leave class to use the toilet, teachers must watch carefully to ensure they do not cross the road.
TEACHERS’ APPEALS MET WITH SILENCE
School principal, Mukesh Kumar Singh, said the situation has remained unchanged for decades.
"It becomes very difficult to conduct classes," he said, adding that teachers posted earlier had also submitted written applications to senior officers.
"We have not received any information from our officers about what is being done for this school," he added.
Questioning official claims of modern education, he said, "It is difficult for children to study here, so how can we even think about smart classes?" Lack of furniture and sanitation raises health concerns and undermines pupils’ dignity.
STUDENTS STUDY THROUGH EVERY SEASON
Students spoke of studying in the sun during summer and shifting inside the temple during rain.
One student said that when pujas are held, studying and eating become difficult. "All the children sit on the ground to study," the student said, appealing to the government to build a proper school building. Other students shared similar concerns.
Despite the conditions, attendance remains strong, reflecting parents’ determination to educate their children.
OFFICIAL APATHY CONTINUES
Gaya District Education Officer Krishna Murari Gupta has refused to comment or provide information on the school’s condition.
Over the past 28 years, numerous officials have travelled daily on the same Gaya–Bodhgaya road, yet the school has remained overlooked.
Today, 94 children continue to study inside a temple courtyard, waiting for a classroom that has eluded them for nearly three decades.