Submit report on unsafe Jhajjar schools, HHRC tells officers

JHAJJAR: Taking suo motu cognisance of a report in The Tribune on Wednesday about unsafe buildings of 60 government schools in the district, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has sought a report from the Principal Secretary, Education Department, and Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner within six months.

The unsafe building of a government school at Silani village in Jhajjar district. Tribune file Photo

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, September 12

Taking suo motu cognisance of a report in The Tribune on Wednesday about unsafe buildings of 60 government schools in the district, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has sought a report from the Principal Secretary, Education Department, and Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner within six months.

Pulling up the education authorities over the use of unsafe school buildings, HHRC chairman, Justice (retired) SK Mittal, and member, Justice (retired) KC Puri, said quality education could not be provided in dilapidated school buildings where there was a threat to life.

They pointed out that it was mandatory for the government to provide quality education to children ever since the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, came into force.

“It is the fundamental right of every child to have education in a safe environment. It is a constitutional obligation of the state to provide a safe environment, proper infrastructure and safe school buildings to children who are studying in government schools,” stated the order issued by the HHRC.

The report disclosed that buildings of 60 government schools in Jhajjar district had been declared unsafe around three months ago, but neither were the schools provided new buildings nor were these unsafe structures demolished with incidents of roof collapse having been reported from three schools.

The report revealed that 14 rooms of the Government Senior Secondary School in Kheri Khummar village were declared unsafe over four years ago, but no further action had been taken in this respect, posing a threat to students playing around these rooms.

“The facts in the report, if correct, violate human rights of thousands of children and violate fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. The Principal Secretary, Education, and the Jhajjar DC are directed to submit their reports within six weeks regarding the condition of unsafe school buildings,” ordered the HHRC.