After notice, admn seeks report on unsafe school buildings by Aug 25

After having received a notice from the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, the administration has asked the Education Department to submit a report on the present condition of unsafe school buildings in the district by Monday.

At the same time, highly placed sources have informed The Tribune that the district education officers had given a verbal assurance to the district administration that no student was sitting in ‘unsafe’ school buildings. Meanwhile it was learnt that, officials of the Education Department have been visiting schools on a regular basis to check the status of unsafe portions of buildings at government schools. Buildings that are in a dilapidated condition are also being demolished on priority.

Talking to The Tribune, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said on a daily basis, staff from the Education Department, SDMs and PWD officials were visiting schools and it was being ensured that neither students nor teachers were using unsafe portions of the schools buildings. The renovation of all unsafe school buildings could not be started immediately because of a paucity of funds.

“Crores are required for the renovation of unsafe portions of government schools buildings in the district, the number of which is about 70 (total/ partially unsafe). But where are the funds for the renovation or reconstruction work? Teachers cannot pay for these renovations on their own as it is an expensive affair. The Education Department is being informed about the situation and the higher-ups have to take a call on the matter,” said a well-placed source at the Education Department.

It may be mentioned here that this issue is highlighted every monsoon and once these pass, the authorities concerned put everything on the back burner. “It should be an ongoing process and renovations need to be done throughout. But this is not being done due to which the number of unsafe schools is increasing,” said a government school’s principal.