Ludhiana: Government school in hot water over filthy conditions, fund misuse

The inspection also revealed poor sanitation and a deteriorating school environment; DEO Ravinder Kaur said that debris was scattered across the campus, mid-day meals were prepared in unhygienic conditions, and the adjacent storeroom was in a miserable state

In a major crackdown on irregularities, the district education officer (DEO) elementary, Ravinder Kaur, has issued a show-cause notice to the head teacher of Government Primary School, Haibowal Kalan, seeking clarification over student enrolments and financial mismanagement. The action follows a surprise inspection on March 11, which revealed glaring discrepancies in student attendance and school upkeep.

The DEO discovered that while the school records showed 1,794 students enrolled, only 422 were actually present. (Manish/HT)

During her visit, DEO Kaur discovered that while the school records showed 1,794 students enrolled, only 422 were actually present. Shockingly, a day before the inspection, attendance records claimed that nearly 1,200 students were present. When questioned, the head teacher attributed the absence to the ongoing festive season, an explanation Kaur found unacceptable. She emphasised that it was the school staff’s duty to contact parents and ensure student attendance.

Adding to the concerns, the inspection also revealed poor sanitation and a deteriorating school environment. “Debris was scattered across the campus, mid-day meals were prepared in unhygienic conditions, and the adjacent storeroom was in a miserable state,” Kaur stated. Several classrooms were found dirty, with hanging tube lights and insufficient lighting. The school’s RO water system was non-functional, and washrooms were filled with cement bags. To make matters worse, there were no fire extinguishers in or near the kitchen.

Financial mismanagement was another major issue. A grant of ₹15.02 lakh, sanctioned in 2023-24 for the construction of two classrooms, remained unutilised. “Despite having no space for new rooms, the school failed to return the grant,” Kaur pointed out.

Another govt teacher served notice

In a related move, a show-cause notice was also issued to centre head teacher Harjit Singh of Government Primary School, Haibowal Khurd, for misreporting school conditions. “It is the responsibility of the centre head to report the actual state of schools under their jurisdiction. Due to negligence, we have sought a written explanation from him,” Kaur added.

Despite several attempts, Shivani Sood, head teacher of Government Primary School, Haibowal Kalan, did not respond.