Long Term Infrastructure Planning for Elementary School

The planning on long term perspectives may be called as Long Term Planning which includes the planning of such areas which require more than one year for its achievements/accomplishments. The following areas may be taken as the areas for long term planning of infrastructure for elementary school:

ü Future expansion of the school in case of increase in the enrollment or up-gradation of school to higher level.

ü Provision of barrier-free environment in the school

ü Enhancement of achievement level of children through infrastructure, etc. 

As an example of ‘Future expansion of the school’, the school has to prepare school layout map of the school as under:

The above sketch shows the School Campus Layout Map of a primary school of hilly terrain wherein a site for future expansion is exclusively set aside. In the same way, the school may also plan for the wasteland lying in the school campus like construction open amphitheater, children friendly structures, flower garden, campus plantation, etc. The most of schools located in urban area have very less area. In this case, the construction of school building being constructed should have maintained load-bearing capacity projecting the future requirement of spaces for scholastic and co-scholastic activities.     

The sketch prepare above is not the actual School Campus Layout Map. In fact, this type of map is to be prepared by the engineers. The School Campus Layout Map of Assangthang Junior High School, South District, is given in the next as sample.

Measured School Campus Layout Plan of Assangthang Junior High School, South Sikkim

For the construction of new school building in the hilly terrain, the design of the building has to be prepared on the basis of the landscape and nature of soil in the construction site. The provisions of barrier-free elements like ramps, handrails, grab rails, etc. and the BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) elements are to be included in the design itself. The sketch below shows the ramps with handrail which is one of the main components of Barrier-free environment of a school.

The school building should focus the following four areas:

1.    A warm and encouraging atmosphere in the school

The dull looking school buildings and classrooms infrastructure cannot provide a warm and encouraging atmosphere for the children in the school. It is seen in many of the schools of Sikkim that the structures were made randomly without considering the future requirements of land and scope of expansion. This has resulted in the unorganized dispersal of structures in the school campus giving dull and boring looks. As such, a warm and encouraging atmosphere in the school may be ensured by doing following:

a.     The plan of the school building should be as per the construction site which can tune with the landscape and gives beauty

b.    Designing school building in such a way to make it well ventilated, lighted (natural light) and having thermal comfort so that the children may not feel annoyed of coming to school.

c.     Architectural design of the school should be such that the paintings can be done with various colours (not dull and monotonous colours)

d.    Classroom mural/ceiling painting should be painted in different colours in such a way to make them attractive for children and useful for pedagogical purpose

e.     The height of the chalkboards is to be accessible to children

f.      School Layout Plan should provide appropriate site for campus plantation (trees, shrubs, herbs) which can serve both as sheds and beautification of the school. The layout plan should also provide appropriate site for horticulture/agriculture (like weak/landslide prone side in hilly terrain if any; which cannot be used for constructing buildings) in case the school has such land.

2.    Learning through activity, discovery, dialogue and exploration [Increased visibility of active learning]

Learning through activity, discovery, dialogue and exploration may be ensured in a school by introducing BaLA[1] components. The availability of ABL[2] friendly furniture in the classroom, standard classroom space for 40 children in primary classes and 35 children in upper primary classes that can facilitate to conduct activities making at least five groups (8X5 for primary and 7X5 for upper primary), design on the floor, if possible room shapes may be made pentagonal and hexagonal rather than monotonously rectangular, etc. will definitely provide scope for active learning in the classes. If the school area permits and providing multi-purpose hall for the school is impossible, an open amphitheater should be made in the school campus.  

3.    More inclusive classroom participation (visible and continuous reduction in discriminatory classroom practices classroom – identify these, and then work on them)

Providing barrier-free environment in the school is one of the main options to make inclusive classroom participation and enhance inclusive activities in teaching learning process. Here the inclusion also includes the social inclusion which does not have relevance under Civil Works. As such the barrier-free in this case will be only the physical barrier. Inclusive classroom participation would be possible by following way:

a.     Taking steps with low heights in the stairs – colour contrasting/slip-resistant

b.    Grab rails on both sides of the stairs

c.     Colour contrasting/slip-resistant ramps with handrails with standard length-height ratio

d.    Be free of sharp or abrasive elements

e.     Be colour-contrasted from the adjacent wall surface

f.      Barrier-free facilities in toilets, urinals and drinking water hydrant with grab bars and standard interior and front area,

g.    The plan of the school building incorporates all the barrier-free components, etc.

4.    Focus on higher order learning with objectives and construction of child knowledge, potential & talent.

Including the barrier-free components as mentioned above, the plan and estimate should also incorporate the provision of various designs related to contents of the textbooks which are to be drawn on the walls, floors, doors, windows and columns etc. that encourage or prompt knowledge construction among children.  

It would be better if the Whole School Development Plan is prepared for individual school considering its measured layout area and projected children’s participation rates in that school.   

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[1] Building as Learning Aid – School Building has to be made in such a way that the building acts as learning resource for children. Various designs of BaLA are available in the State and District HRDD offices.

[2] Activity Based Learning – learning through activities, not merely sitting on the bench idly and listening teacher’s lecture.