It is startling to note that 99% of BBMP schools lack toilet facility for girls. Making the matter worse is dilapidated condition of most schools.
The efforts made by primary and secondary education minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to encourage enrolment of girls in schools is being negated by lack of infrastructure in educational institutions run by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
It is startling to note that 99% of BBMP schools lack toilet facility for girls. Making the matter worse is dilapidated condition of most schools. This came to the forefront after recent instruction by BBMP standing committee for education directing BBMP schools and colleges to provide details of their infrastructure that needed serious attention.
Responding to the circular issued by committee chairman Ramesh Raju K, each centre’s administrator highlighted lack of toilets, especially for girls, who had to share the facilities with boys, faculty members and staff.
Schools also stated that toilets were in a dilapidated condition. Some function without pipes and taps, blocking the sewerage lines. There were some schools that complained of improper doors in the toilets. These factors are making girls shy away from using the school facility to attend to nature’s call. More than 40 schools have demanded separate toilets for girls.
According to the report, the BBMP nursery schools at Pit Colony, Ramamohanapur and Subramanyanagar have no toilets at all. A nursery school in Bannappa Park has only one toilet for girls.
Corporation Girls’ High School in Srirampura and Malleswaram have common toilets. In Corporation Junior College, Padarayanapura, there are over 770 girl students, but only a single toilet. The teachers have demanded separate toilet.
One nursery school in William Town was damaged after a tree fell on its roof. It is yet to be repaired despite repeated pleas to authorities.
The centre heads of nursery schools in Adugodi and Tata Silk Farm have safety concerns as the buildings are in a dilapidated condition. The students of Girls’ High School, Dispensary Road, and Primary School, Lakkasandra, are exposed to the dangers of short-circuit as the electrical wiring was done 50 years ago.
Many schools also complained of lack of water and leakage from the ceiling during the rainy season.
Some institutions demanded additional classrooms as two or three classes were being conducted in a single one. There were also complaints of electricity problem, and lack of computers and laboratory facilities in schools.
The dismal condition in BBMP schools is being blamed on the zonal educational officers and engineers, who are expected to regularly update the higher authorities to address infrastructure issues.
“Former deputy mayor N Dayananda had taken interest in providing better infrastructure to the BBMP schools. Due to the lack of interest among other corporators and engineers, he could address the issue. The engineers are interested in new buildings in their wards and do not find time to visit the schools in the areas,” said a BBMP official.
Ramesh Raju said that the BBMP has made it compulsory that all 198 corporators spend 10% of the fund to their ward on infrastructure development in schools and colleges in their areas.
“I have also directed the health inspectors to make sure that no garbage is dumped near schools. To monitor engineers and health officers, the centres have been directed to inform the education officer or directly to me in case any garbage is dumped near the schools or any engineer fails to take up the work,” he said.
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