‘Safety audit of all schools ordered’ Says Union Ministry of Education

New Delhi: Following “Zero Tolerance Policy? against negligence, the Union Ministry of Education has directed all States/UTs to ensure the structural safety of school buildings and identify dilapidated structures through safety audits, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan informed the House that a direction for a comprehensive safety audit of school buildings was issued on August 7, advising demolition if required, or repair of structurally unsafe structures, and prohibiting use until certified safe.

Pradhan, in response to a question by Alok Kumar Suman, said the authorities are advised to arrange temporary schooling where needed, gainfully use the space created due to demolition, ensure regular monitoring and reporting, and ensure safety/ structural fitness compliance certification for any re-occupancy. The Union Education Minister said States/ UTs are instructed to enforce the rules strictly above measures and avoid any further injuries and loss of life due to preventable infrastructure failures.

He said the Centre, on earlier occasions, had issued various guidelines for ensuring the safety and security of children in schools, including the Guidelines on School Safety and Security by the Department of School Education and Literacy issued on October 1, 2021.

In 2017, Guidelines on School Safety Policy by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA, 2016) were also released on February 27 that year, he said. (IANS)

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