Delhi HC pulls up officials over 'Sad State of Affairs' in govt schools

The Delhi High Court on Monday pulled up the city’s education department for the “very sad state of affairs" in the government schools in its north-east district and directed that responsibility be fixed on the officials concerned for the lapse.

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan took into account a “scathing" report given by lawyer Ashok Agarwal, who visited these schools and found many discrepancies including “broken desks", “serious shortage of classrooms" as well as non-supply for books and writing material.

It remarked that the authorities are not supposed to just make publications in the newspapers but also work on the ground level to address the shortcomings.

The secretary of education, who was physically present in the court and had earlier visited the schools to examine their condition, confirmed the findings in the report and assured that steps would be taken to drastically improve the situation in a time-bound manner.

The court remarked that the authorities’ lack of planning resulted in apathy among the children for school and said accountability must be fixed of the officials.

It also questioned how the children were expected to study in a tin building in such high temperatures.

The issue is highlighted because it came to the court. There is no supervision, he said

The education secretary assured the court that there is no shortage of funds and books. Writing material as well as desks would be provided in the schools to all the students, he said.

He also said the tin building for one of the schools is a temporary arrangement and the students will be shifted to another building soon.