New Delhi: Government-run schools in Odisha lack infrastructure facilities like playgrounds, toilets for children with special needs, electricity and a number of schools also do not have boundary walls putting the safety of students at risk. Around 73 per cent of government schools in the state do not have own playgrounds.
A report of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development revealed that only 27.11 per cent of government schools in the state have playgrounds, 69 per cent schools have boundary walls, 35 per cent schools have toilets for children with special needs (CWSN) and only 30 per cent schools have electricity facility.
Similarly, only 56 per cent government schools have electricity and 19.59 per cent schools have CWSN toilets and only 56.98 per cent schools have playgrounds across the country.
The Standing Committee expressed concern that only 60.12 per cent schools had a boundary wall as it indicated that the school premises were accessible to all without any restrictions and this could put in danger the safety of the students and the properties of the school.
The committee recommended the HRD to accord due consideration to construction of boundary wall for the school premises. The possibility of construction of boundary wall in collaboration with MGNREGA may also be looked into,” the committee recommended.
The committee also urged the department to consult the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to look into the possibility of providing solar energy and other sources of renewable energy to the schools, based on their geographical locations, so that these schools can become a model for residents of the villages and surrounding areas and motivate them to adopt such non-polluting energy sources.