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Govt turns blind eye to violation of norms
Highlights
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so goes a popular adage. Pedagogues have already stressed on the importance of physical education along with the regular academics. However, if one is to go by the state of affairs in the Telangana State government as well as private schools, dismal would be an understatement.
Schools sans playgrounds
- Some educational institutions take advantage of the condition that they can take on lease space near schools
- They show the open space for pupils to play at far-off places as distance is not defined, say officials
Hyderabad: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so goes a popular adage. Pedagogues have already stressed on the importance of physical education along with the regular academics. However, if one is to go by the state of affairs in the Telangana State government as well as private schools, dismal would be an understatement.The data available with the Directorate of School Education reveals that 14,188 government and 3,640 private schools in the State do not have a playground.
According to the data, of the 28,707 government and 15,107 private schools in the State, 14,519 government and 11,467 private schools have playgrounds. That apart, over 2,000 government schools do not even have physical education teachers despite having the playground facility.
The Right to Education Act specifies that all the schools should have buildings with basic infrastructure which includes at least one classroom and office for the headmaster. It also states that every school should have a playground, toilets for boys and girls and library with books.
The GO 1 issued in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh also states that the primary/upper primary secondary schools in rural areas/urban areas (Municipal Corporation and Municipal limits) shall have a playground facility of 2,000 sq m and 1,000 Sq m respectively.
In case of urban areas, if playgrounds are not available on the premises, a primary school with enrollment up to 200 shall have 500 sq mts. In case of upper and secondary schools, the minimum open space mandated is Rs 700 Sq mts.
The GO also has provided flexibility to schools to at least have an indoor sports hall if space for playgrounds is not available. The playgrounds are taken as the one of the criteria for giving recognition to the schools.
In spite of guidelines in place, the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh governments and now Telangana State government violated the norms and gave recognition to the schools.
A senior official said the earlier governments opened the schools in a small building wherever there was a space without taking norms into the consideration.
He further said the norms were relaxed for the schools located in the urban areas due to lack of space, but they must have indoor sports hall or have to take on lease a space in the nearest area of the school.
“Now the problem is that the government failed to define the nearest area. A school in Abids can show empty space in Dilshuknagar. This has created a problem which has to be addressed,” official added.
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