A social audit of 444 government schools in Shimla district pointed out that 81% of the schools facility of clean drinking water while 43% are without safety fencing pointing towards deficiencies in infrastructure, basic amenities, student safety, child protection and academic monitoring, raising serious concerns over the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) standards in the state capital.
“This comprehensive report points to numerous challenges and gaps in the school education system. School safety committees missing
The performance of Shimla schools falls short of the quality standards guaranteed under the Right to Education Act,” said Dr Ranta.
Himachal education minister Rohit Thakur participated in the hearing and responded to grievances raised by the public, with several issues being taken up on the spot. These findings were presented at a public hearing in Theog on Wednesday attended by more than 2,100 stakeholders, including parents, teachers, School Management Committee members, elected representatives, education officials and members of the local community.
A comprehensive social audit of schools operating under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Shimla district was conducted under which 444 government schools were covered. The team from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, is conducting a comprehensive social audit across all the 12 districts of the state and the reports along with findings will be submitted to the state government after one month for taking corrective measures. Shimla was the last district while the audit of 11 districts has already been completed. The audit of 444 schools in Shimla district represents the first phase of the district-level assessment, with the remaining schools expected to be covered in four subsequent phases. 47% of surveyed schools lacked adequate classroom space The audit found that nearly 47% of surveyed schools lacked adequate classroom space, including sufficient rooms for teaching and non-teaching staff. The team assessed 444 schools, nearly 20% of the 2,068 schools in Shimla district.
The social audit was conducted by a team from Himachal Pradesh University under the leadership of Dr Arpana Negi and Dr Randhir Ranta. The remaining institutions will be covered in four subsequent phases.
