With defunct fans, broken desks, crumbling walls and locked up toilets, the condition of Government schools in North-East Delhi is going from bad to worse. Despite several notices from the Government, these schools have not improved.
However, Director of Education Padmini Singla’s recent visit across a few schools in the locality has resulted in a strict cry for change. While schools have been asked to put all the basic amenities in place, Singla has issued a letter which has pointed out the exact areas where schools have been cutting corners. As a part of the Independence Day cleanliness week, Singla has set the brick in the wall of change.
In a letter to the schools, Singla said, “All I expect is to provide students a basic level of infrastructure which is a neat and clean building, functional taps and toilets, well lit and airy rooms and all teachers teaching sincerely.”
Most of the schools in North-East Delhi have been surviving even without basics. Some schools even have around 5,000 students admitted but the facilities provided by the school are not enough. In some schools toilets had been lying locked up for over six months.
“When I saw this, I hauled up the principal and he said that students break fittings in the toilet. That’s why they lock the toilets, but what is the point of having toilets when students can’t even use them,” said Singla.
On August 9, Singla visited three schools in the region. Fans are broken, desks and cupboards are stacked in a corner, the walls are undone, it is a complete disaster in some of these schools and principals are using the excuse of children being rowdy for this. The principal of one of the schools said, “We also have limitations. If students keep destroying the property of the school we can’t keep getting it fixed again and again. Students should know that if they destroy the property they will have to suffer.”
However, this lackadaisical attitude of the principals in amending facilities is ruining the discipline of the school. Singla said, “The fact that children break school property also reflects on the school’s discipline. Heads of schools should be able to instill that kind of discipline in students where they refrain from such behaviour. If toilets are locked students go and urinate in the school campus. This needs to be stopped.”