October 09: The Garpawoong Middle Secondary School in Samdrup Jongkhar has long past its deadline but it is yet to complete. The construction was supposed to complete in July last year in time for the new academic session this year.

Students studying from class seven to 10 at the Dewathang Lower Secondary school were supposed to shift to the new Garpawoong Middle Secondary School at the start of the academic session this year.

The construction was supposed to complete in July last year.

But school has remained incomplete amidst accusations and counter accusations.

The Dzongkhag engineer Udia said the contract has been awarded to the Bhutan Builder company in Samdrup Jongkhar. He said the construction has been delayed due to shortage of labourers.

He also said the contractor kept on changing the site manager hampering the work.

The Project Manager of Bhutan Builder blamed the delay on road blocks at the site, timber being not easily available, and strikes in Assam. He said they were also not allowed to operate the stone quarry by the departments of forestry, and geology and mines.

A forestry official said they are allowed to issue permits only for surface collection. He said quarrying is dealt by the department of geology and mines.

Mining officials said the site identified by the contractor is not permissible as it falls on the roadside. To give the permit, they said the department has to carry out studies which will take about a year.

The principal of the school Rinzin Dorji said they are facing shortage of classrooms.

Meanwhile some of the students told our reporter that shifting to the new school will mean more walking distance for them. Currently students coming from Restore village have to walk four kilometers but after shifting to the new school they will have to walk six kilometers.

The Dzongkhag Education Officer, Sonam Wangchuk said Deothang already has a school and there is no scope to expand the existing one.

The new Garpawoong Middle Secondary school will begin next year.