HYDERABAD: Do the government authorities frame guidelines only to be published on a paper and forgotten? Last December, the commissioner and director of school education had issued a list of guidelines for ensuring safety and security of students in schools following the murder of a boy at an international school in New Delhi. An important part of these guidelines were safety audits of schools and regular inspection. But the death of two children in roof collapse exposed the hollowness of the government’s intent.
A senior GHMC official said on condition of anonymity that if all parameters of building safety were strictly followed, 90 per cent of schools in the city would not be functioning. “Playgrounds, which are a must, are non-existent in most schools. Many schools are allowed to function in residential or even commercial complexes.” School have to get clearances from GHMC, fire department and traffic police for submission to the education department every year. Barring a few, most schools routinely flout the norms. Activists, however, allege that safety auditing is just a routine and private schools pay no heed.
“Several private school don’t allow field-level officer to enter their premises. There is no proper mechanism in place and this gives schools a free hand,” N Narayana, educationist and founder of TS Parents Association.