Malappuram: The schools in Malappuram district are grappling with a severe shortage of facilities to accommodate the newly allocated extra batches of Plus-One students. The authorities have sanctioned 120 additional batches, distributed across 74 schools to address the growing seat shortage in the district.

Of the newly allocated batches, 61 are dedicated to commerce and 59 to humanities. This allocation aims to ease the pressure on the existing educational infrastructure and provide more students with the opportunity to pursue their desired streams.

However, most of the schools in the district do not have available classrooms and extra furniture to accommodate the students. “The government has to find a solution to arrange extra facilities in the schools where they have allocated extra batches. It is unfair to pass the burden to the local bodies as they are facing a shortage of funds. It is the responsibility of the government to arrange adequate facilities in the schools,” said Malappuram district Muslim Students Federation (MSF) President M A Kabber.

The PTA of the Manjeri Government Boys Higher Secondary School plans to conduct classes on the school stage. GVHSS Nellikkuthu, which already deals with space crunch was allotted two extra batches.

The authorities are clueless about how to conduct classes with around 100 students joining in the two additional batches. Manjeri municipality has taken up the issue. “We have handed over furniture to these schools. The Municipality already has plans to arrange more space in these schools. We hope that we can manage the situation without much difficulty,” Manjeri Municipal Chairperson V M Subaida said.

The government has not allocated any science batches to the district considering the financial burden of allocating the lab and other facilities.