Rajasthan speeds up renovation of dilapidated school buildings ahead of monsoon
Jaipur, Feb 6
In a major initiative to safeguard children studying in government schools across the state, the Rajasthan Education Department has accelerated efforts to strengthen school infrastructure.
After the collapse of a school building in Piplodi, Jhalawar, during last year's monsoon, the department undertook a swift, statewide identification of schools operating in unsafe or dilapidated structures.
Repair work is currently in progress on more than 2,000 such school buildings, and all of them will be reinforced and ready by March.
In addition, the SDRF has completed waterproofing and repair work in 21,000 schools, ensuring that students will be able to study in safe and secure classrooms during the upcoming monsoon season.
As per the previous budget announcement, 175 new school buildings are under construction and are expected to be completed within a year.
According to the Civil Branch of the Rajasthan School Education Council, construction activities are also underway for girls' toilets in all schools.
Over 2,250 science labs in 900 schools, dining-cum-study halls in 229 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Hostels at DIET centres in seven districts and repair of more than 3,000 Anganwadi centres.
Following the Piplodi incident, the department moved swiftly to demolish the unsafe structure and begin construction of a new school. At the request of residents, a new and significantly larger land parcel was identified for the building.
While this led to a slight delay, construction is now progressing rapidly, and the school will soon begin functioning from its new premises.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally! My sister teaches in a government school in Barmer, and she has been complaining about leaking roofs for years. The focus on girls' toilets and science labs is also crucial. Hope the quality of construction is good and not just done for show.
Good initiative, but let's be honest, this should have been routine maintenance. Why does it take a building collapse for authorities to wake up? Hope they maintain this momentum and conduct annual safety audits. The numbers (2000+ schools) show how bad the situation was.
Repairing Anganwadi centres is just as important as schools. That's where the foundation of learning begins for our youngest children. A safe environment is non-negotiable. Kudos for including them in this drive.
The scale of work mentioned is impressive - 21,000 schools waterproofed! If executed properly, this will make a huge difference in rural areas. Hope the contractors don't cut corners. Our children deserve the best.
As someone who has worked in development, this is a classic case of a reactive policy becoming a proactive program. The key will be sustainability. Will there be a budget line for maintenance next year, or will we be back to square one in 2026?
N Neha E