The High Court has expressed strong displeasure over the continuation of schools in dilapidated buildings in the state even after the Jhalawar school accident. The division bench of Justice Mahendra Goyal and Justice Ashok Jain has taken a strict stance in this matter and has raised serious questions on the functioning of the Education Department. While making oral remarks, the court clearly said that the department officials should not “play with fire” and any kind of compromise with the lives of children will not be tolerated.
The High Court clarified that there has already been a complete ban on conducting classes in dilapidated buildings. Despite this, the incident of roof collapse of the Government Higher Primary School located at Bhainskheda in Bundi district is very worrying. The court said that while clear instructions are in place, such incidents show that orders are not being followed at the ground level.
Taking this matter seriously, the court took suo motu cognizance and put the top officials of the education department in the dock. The court has directed the Education Secretary as well as the Director of Elementary Education and the Director of Secondary Education to be personally present in the court on February 2. The court said that the authorities should explain what steps were taken to identify dilapidated buildings and stop teaching in them and why schools are still running in such buildings.
During the hearing, the court also remarked that despite repeated warnings and orders, if the administration is being negligent, then it is a very serious matter. The court said that the safety of children is paramount and any laxity can directly put their lives in danger. The court indicated that if such incidents are repeated in future, strict action can be taken against the responsible officials.
It is noteworthy that the recent school accident in Jhalawar had shocked the entire state. After this, many claims were made by the government and the education department regarding the safety of school buildings. However, the incident of roof collapse of a dilapidated school in Bundi has exposed these claims. Questions are also being raised as to how effective the process of inspection and reporting is.
The High Court also indicated that mere paperwork will not suffice, but concrete steps will have to be taken after assessing the actual situation at the ground level. The court said that wherever school buildings are unsafe, classes should be closed immediately and alternative arrangements should be made so that children’s education is not affected and their safety is also ensured.
After this strict stance of the court, there has been a stir in the education department. Now all eyes are on the hearing to be held on February 2, where top officials will have to answer before the court. It is believed that the High Court’s stand in this matter may become even stricter in the future, due to which major decisions can be taken regarding the security arrangements of schools across the state.