Jaipur: Government school teachers and principals in Rajasthan have been directed to report visible defects in school buildings to district authorities before summer vacations, enabling repairs to be completed during the holiday period ahead of the monsoon.
Teachers' Role Limited to Identification
Officials stated that teachers will only be responsible for promptly identifying potential hazards and immediately notifying the education department. They will not be required to provide technical reports but must inform officials about structural faults such as cracks in walls, roof leakage, peeling plaster, exposed iron reinforcement bars, leaning walls, or unstable overhangs.
Background of the Directive
The move follows last year's Jhalawar district school building collapse that killed seven children. The school was not classified as dilapidated. Additionally, a child died after a school gate collapsed in Jaisalmer. The department has instructed officials to ensure thorough inspections of all schools.
A senior official from the education department said, "Directives have been issued requiring all teachers and principals to conduct regular visual inspections of their respective school buildings. While they are not expected to perform technical assessments, they must maintain a vigilant watch over the condition of the building daily. Such issues are not to be ignored."
Officials also reiterated that if any classroom or building is deemed unsafe, students must be prevented from occupying that space and should be relocated to another secure room.
Government Funding for Repairs
In March, the central government approved Rs 300 crore for the reconstruction of dilapidated school buildings across Rajasthan. The funding, sanctioned by the Ministry of Education, aims to provide safer, more modern learning environments for students in government schools.
Earlier, the state government announced a five-year action plan worth over Rs 12,000 crore to renovate and upgrade more than 1.23 lakh dilapidated school buildings across the state. The initiative includes construction of new school buildings, major repairs, and improved sanitation facilities.
