Government clears Rs 700 crore to revamp schools

In its first major move to upgrade education sector, the AAP government has reportedly allocated about Rs 700 crore to create new infrastructure in its 1,011 schools in the national capital. All the new structures, which will be built in the government-run schools, by June next year reportedly will be earthquake-resistant.

A decision to this effect was reportedly taken at a recent meeting, which, among others, was attended by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and senior officers of the directorate of education and the public works department. The decision to set up new infrastructure in schools is in line with the government’s resolve to accord top priority to the education sector.

The government had already earmarked a total expenditure of Rs 9,836 crore for education for 2015-16 financial year. Of this, Rs 4,560 crore had been earmarked for the plan expenditure. The education budget had been increased by 106 per cent in comparison to the money allocated to this sector in the previous financial year. This was also for the first time in the country that any state government had straightaway doubled its education budget.

A highly-placed source said that the government had allocated the money for creating new infrastructure in schools on the basis of a survey conduced by the directorate of education. The survey had showed that in most of the schools there were more than 50 students in one classroom, which was against the spirit of the Right to Education in the country. The source said that the government has told the PWD that it should raise four-storey structures in the existing schools. “Instructions have been given to use shining granite for flooring and ceramic structures in toilets. The new structures should have classrooms, multipurpose hall, laboratories and an activity room for students.”

A senior bureaucrat said that the PWD has been told to complete the entire construction work by June next year. “The department has been told that there should be no cost escalation. If there is cost inflation, it will lead to strict penalties against the violators. Once the new structures are complete, the same has to be handed over to the DoE.”

The main agenda of the AAP government is to provide modern facilities and infrastructure in all 1,011 schools. The government is also planning to develop 50 model schools. Plans have been formulated to provide the required modern facilities in these schools as also to motivate teachers through specialised training.

Besides raising new infrastructure, the governments focus was also on teacher-student ratio issue in the schools. The government was also in the process of roping in about 20,000 regular teachers by the end of the year.