Govt schools pulled up over hygiene, infra gaps in Haryana

Principals held accountable for minor repairs like pipelines, storage systems and boundary walls, with no fixed deadline set.

The Haryana school education department has pulled up government schools across the state over poor infrastructure and hygiene, issuing fresh directions to fix gaps in basic facilities following inspections and field reports, officials said.

(Representative image) Inspections found missing or non-functional taps, toilets and poorly installed sanitary fittings in several schools. (HT Archive)

The principal secretary, school education department, on Friday told district education officers (DEOs) that “cleanliness, drinking water facility, overall condition of school boundary wall, and hygiene facilities in certain schools are not satisfactory. In some cases, taps and washrooms were either non-functional or missing, and sanitary fittings are not properly installed.”

School heads have been directed to prioritise minor repair works, such as fixing water pipelines, taps and storage systems; repairing toilets; and addressing safety concerns, including damaged boundary walls or fencing. The directive stated that principals and headmasters will be directly responsible for timely execution.The notice does not specify any timeline for completion of repairs or compliance checks, only stating that the work should be treated as a top priority.

Earlier, the department had permitted expenditure of up to ₹1 lakh for such works. However, the government may increase the cap to ₹5 lakh, though no official confirmation has been issued, according to information gathered during a spot visit on Monday.

Officials said most works cost under ₹1 lakh and can be funded through the Children’s Welfare Fund (CWF). Schools facing fund shortages can approach headquarters for approval. As per norms, goods priced between ₹10,000 and ₹1 lakh can be procured through a local purchase committee, subject to an annual ceiling of ₹5 lakh, with the committee assessing rates, quality, and specifications.

District authorities have been tasked with monitoring implementation and submitting progress reports.

Indu Boken, the DEO of Gurugram, said none of the 130 higher and senior secondary schools in the district face infrastructure gaps. “We have proper drinking water systems and washroom facilities, and our classrooms are equipped with the best facilities,” she said.