MCD-run schools are ‘horror houses’, observes DCW
‘Syringes, drugs found in edu premises’
Terming the conditions in four schools under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as “pathetic, unsafe, and deeply disturbing,” the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to the MCD commissioner and sought a detailed action taken report by May 30.
The DCW has also sought details of officials responsible for the dismal condition of schools and has asked the MCD to take action against them. In its notice, the DCW stated that it initiated an inquiry into the safety of girls in primary schools in Delhi “upon receiving complaints” and inspected four schools in Aruna Nagar, Kewal Park, Mustafabad, and Bhatti Mines.
A surprise inspection was conducted by the DCW team consisting of its chairperson Swati Maliwal and other members such as Promila Gupta, Sarika Chaudhary, Firdos Khan, and Vandana Singh in four MCD schools on May 20 and 21.
The team inspected the school buildings as well as interacted with the students, teachers, and other staff of the school, read a statement. It was found by the commission that there were no security guards in the schools. In Aruna Nagar’s school, drug addicts entered the premises and threatened the authorities.
Similarly, in the school at Kewal Park, the commission was shocked to find used syringes, drugs, cigarette boxes, gutkha wrappers, and even broken alcohol bottles.
It has recommended filing an FIR in the matter urgently. The DCW noticed that most of the school buildings were severely damaged and unsafe for children.
It also observed that the CCTV cameras at the schools were non-functional. The schools, as well as the toilets, were extremely dirty. Also, there were several toilet gates that were broken or could not be locked from inside, which raises serious concerns regarding the safety and privacy of children.
Overcrowding of students in the classes was observed in all the schools and it was clear that the norms for teacher-pupil ratio were not being followed. It was also noticed that proper benches were not available in the schools. In the school at Bhatti Mines, some students were forced to sit on mats on the floor due to shortage of desks.
Expressing her anger over the condition of the schools, the DCW chairperson said, “I am shocked to see the hopelessly dismal condition of the MCD schools. How can a school exist without a security guard and CCTV? How can a school exist in a building where a board has been put up by the MCD itself, requesting people to stay away as the building is damaged!”
“In today’s world, the MCD is running schools where girls are forced to defecate in the open! So much so for the Total Sanitation Campaign! The situation must urgently improve and action should be taken against the officials who are responsible for such dismal condition of the schools,” she added.