Answer

Introduction

The tragic collapse of the school building in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district highlights deep-rooted issues in India’s government schools, such as unsafe infrastructure, poor governance, and unequal access. Despite policy efforts and funding, these systemic problems remain unaddressed, endangering students’ safety and educational opportunities, especially among marginalized communities.

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Challenges Faced by Government-Run Schools in Ensuring Safe and Quality Education

• Dilapidated Infrastructure: Many government schools across India, as highlighted by the Rajasthan incident, operate in old or poorly maintained buildings, exposing students to physical danger.
  Eg: 8,000 out of 70,000 government run schools in Rajasthan are in bad condition as estimated by the Education Department (Rajasthan).
• Insufficient Funding and Utilisation Issues: Even when funds are allocated , bottlenecks in execution and delays in disbursement result in little tangible improvement.
  Eg: Despite ₹650 crore being allocated in the past two State budgets to boost infrastructure, government inefficiencies have meant the measures had little impact.
• Ineffective Monitoring and Audits: Schools that suffer accidents are often not flagged in official audits, showing the inadequacy of current assessment mechanisms. 
• Shortage of Trained Teachers: Many schools lack sufficient and properly trained staff, increasing the burden on existing teachers and compromising educational quality.
• Neglect of Marginalised Communities: Tribal, Dalit, and economically weaker community children rely heavily on government schools, which are often the least resourced and most neglected.
• Inadequate Focus on Safety Protocols: Regular safety drills, structural audits, and disaster preparedness are rarely enforced, increasing vulnerability to accidents.

Comprehensive Roadmap to Make Government Schools Centres of Safety and Learning

• Urgent Infrastructure Upgradation: Conduct thorough safety audits using independent third-party experts; ensure swift repairs, retrofitting, or reconstruction of unsafe school buildings as a high priority.
  Eg: National Education Policy 2020 also focusing on immediate increase in spending on education and prioritising infrastructure upgradation.
• Efficient Fund Disbursal and Monitoring: Set up transparent tracking systems to ensure budgeted funds are utilized fully and on time, with regular progress reports available for public scrutiny.
• Teacher Recruitment, Training, and Retention: Recruit adequate numbers of qualified teachers, especially from local communities, and invest in ongoing training focused on pedagogical innovation and inclusivity.
  Eg: NISHTHA,  a capacity building programme for “Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training”
• Inclusive and Holistic Policy Implementation: Maintain a strong policy focus on government school education, ensuring the needs of the most disadvantaged are at the centre—resisting excessive privatization at the expense of mass education.
• Community Engagement: Involve local panchayats, parents, and civil society in monitoring infrastructure, safety, and school functioning for greater accountability.
• Technology Integration and Resource Augmentation: Provide digital infrastructure, libraries, and sanitary facilities, ensuring every school meets minimum resource benchmarks for holistic development.
• Institutionalising Safety Protocols: Implement regular safety drills, disaster management training, and emergency preparedness plans as standard operating procedures for all schools.

Conclusion

To truly make government schools safe and effective learning spaces, India must commit to long-term educational reforms with strong accountability, timely infrastructure investment, and dedicated teacher recruitment and training. Coordinated efforts from all government levels and community involvement are essential to ensure every child’s safety and educational growth.

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