NEW DELHI: Delhi government has announced a comprehensive structural audit of all government schools in the capital to assess the actual condition of infrastructure and essential facilities. It will examine the structural strength and safety of school buildings, along with basic amenities such as drinking water, toilets, cleanliness and fire safety systems.
The decision came after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta conducted a surprise inspection of a government school on Friday following complaints regarding poor basic facilities. Gupta visited Government Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Roop Nagar early and interacted with students in classrooms. She sought feedback on drinking water facilities, fire safety measures, the condition of toilets, cleanliness, arrangements to tackle the heat, availability of teachers and the overall academic environment.
Students informed Gupta that the school lacked proper access to clean drinking water, with water coolers and RO systems being non-functional for a long time. As a result, they were forced to drink tap water directly. They also complained about the poor condition of toilets, saying several doors were broken, regular cleaning was not carried out and water supply remained inconsistent.
Gupta found that the school’s fire safety system was also non-functional. Expressing strong displeasure over the lapses, she reprimanded officials and said negligence related to children’s safety would not be tolerated under any circumstances. She directed the departments concerned to immediately fix all safety-related issues in the school. Students also raised the issue of a shortage of teachers during the interaction.
Calling schools ‘temples of education’, the CM said the government was committed to ensuring sensitivity, accountability and fulfilment of students’ real needs within the education system. She said the structural audit would help assess the actual condition of infrastructure and essential facilities across all government schools.
Gupta said nearly 700 schools in Delhi require new buildings or large-scale redevelopment, as many structures are 40 to 50 years old and have become severely dilapidated. The audit will cover structural stability, drinking water arrangements, sanitation, hygiene and fire safety preparedness. Directions for the exercise are being issued to the departments concerned.
Questioning the education model of the previous government, the chief minister said the government was committed to delivering concrete, result-orientated work instead of indulging in politics of appearances. She added that over the past year, the government had been consistently working to strengthen basic facilities and modernise infrastructure in government schools. The aim, she said, is to provide clean drinking water, hygienic toilets, smart classrooms, digital facilities and safe infrastructure for every student.
This story is reported by Anup Verma