Panchkula, Haryana : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken note of the issue regarding government schools housed in dilapidated buildings. There is now hope that children currently studying in unsafe classrooms will soon have access to secure facilities. While officials such as Haryana’s Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Principal Secretary (Education) Vijay Dahiya, and Director (Senior Secondary) Jitender Dahiya had previously failed to address the condition of these schools, the Prime Minister has now intervened.

It is worth noting that the responsible officials have merely been going through the motions of paperwork to absolve themselves of responsibility; they appear unconcerned about the children’s safety or the looming dangers. In contrast, Prime Minister Modi has issued a letter to the Haryana government seeking a detailed report on the state of these government schools.

He has specifically directed that reports regarding government school buildings that are 100 years old or older be submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Strict measures will be taken based on these reports.

Following orders from the Prime Minister’s Office, Gaurav Badola, Under Secretary to the Government of India, convened a meeting with officials from across the country. Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, Education Ministers, Additional Chief Secretaries, Directors, and other senior officials from every state participated via video conferencing. During the meeting, the senior central official requested reports on the condition of government schools in their respective states.

In the district, out of a total of 847 government schools (catering to classes 1 through 12), 215 lack basic amenities such as water tanks, toilets, boundary walls, and electricity connections. Furthermore, 12 government schools face a shortage of more than 22 classrooms; in these 12 schools, only 30 out of a total of 52 classrooms are actually fit for use.

Additionally, 55 government schools lack boundary walls, while 73 schools have neither drinking water tanks nor functional electricity systems. Twenty-two government schools do not even have toilet facilities for their students—including boys, girls, and differently-abled children. As a result, children are forced to face the embarrassment of having to defecate in the open.

This report has reached the desk of Haryana’s Education Minister, Mahipal Dhanda, yet no action has been taken on it so far.

There are a total of 606 government schools in the district catering to classes 1 through 8. More than 97 percent of these schools lack even Class IV staff, giving an idea of ​​just how dire the sanitation conditions must be. These schools suffer from a severe lack of basic amenities, including electricity, water, toilets, and ramps. Yet, higher officials continue to turn a blind eye to the matter.

Reasons for the shortcomings

• Over-emphasis on paperwork.
• Lack of periodic monitoring by Cluster Heads and Block Education Officers (BEOs).
• Lack of coordination between headquarters and district officials.
• Lack of political/administrative will on the part of the Principal Secretary and Director of the Directorate of Education.
• Failure of the State Project Director (Directorate of Education) to inspect government schools.
• Delays in receiving or non-receipt of funds at the ground level.

Jitendra Dahiya, Director (Senior Secondary), Directorate of Education, Panchkula, stated, “We have received a letter from headquarters in which the Prime Minister’s Office has sought a report on government school buildings that are 100 years old or older. A report on their current condition has also been requested. We have issued a letter to all District Education Officers (DEOs) asking them to submit reports promptly, and we will submit a comprehensive report as soon as possible.”

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)