In
one of the first major attempts to assess conditions at ground level in Gujarat
state in view of Right to Education Act, the information collected by the child
rights organizations has revealed that 192 primary schools out of 547 under
survey are not having separate toilet facility for girl students. On 18
October, 2011, the Supreme Court of India ordered all states and union
territories to construct toilets in primary schools especially for girl
students before the end of November, 2011.
In
year 2011 information was sought under RTI by the organizations affiliated with
Buniyadi Adhikar Andolan, Gujarat (BAAG) from primary schools of 13 talukas
and one city including Vijaynagar, Tarapur, Ghogha, Bhanvad, Bhiloda, Vav,
Amirgadh, Mangrol, Porbandar, Ranavav, Bagasara, Lathi, Jamlodhpur and Surat.
The information was sought as per provisions of RTE Act whether the schools are
having classrooms, office, toilet facilities for girl students, play ground,
library, and separate kitchen for mid-day meal, water, etc. attempt was also
made to know required number of teachers as per new provision.
The
information of Surat was not provided, but the information of 13 talukas revealed that out of 547 schools, 93 schools are not having
classes as per rules, 91 schools are not having office-cum-store-cum-room for
head teacher, 29 schools lack entrance without obstruction, 80 schools do not
have any facility for drinking water, 57 schools are preparing their mid-day
meal under open sky, 102 schools have no boundary wall, 155 schools do not have
any play ground and 189 schools are running without any kind of educational and
sport material, 10 schools have no electricity and 18 schools have no books or
library.
After
analyzing the data, Dalit Hak Rakshak Manch decided to measure ground level
situation and visited some schools in the interior villages of Vijaynagar
taluka with the help of activists of Adivasi Sarvangi Vikas Sangh. The
observations are shocking. The schools in villages like Dagla, limada are
having their play ground on the other side of the road. The limada-2 primary
school of Limada village has another unique feature having even water tank and
toilet on the other side of the road. In Samtela village the play ground turns
to field during monsoon, as the land is still occupied by a villager, who says
that his father had donated land for school! In Bhankhra villave the school the
mid day meal is being cooked under open sky.
Activists observe broken hand pump, village Joravarnagar
If a school in any city had been in such
condition, this photo would have been
on front page of a news paper
Out of 75 schools of Vijaynagar taluka,
10 schools have no facility of water.
this Joravarnagar school is one of those
65 school having facility of water!
here, mid day meal is coocked
Common toilet.
No separate toilet for Girl student
55 out of 75 schools have no separate toilet
for girl student in Vijaynagar taluka
No boundary wall
28 out of 75 schools have no boundary wall
in Vijaynagar taluka
Bhankhara primary school
students study in varandah
33 out of 75 schools in taluka
have no rooms for classes
two wooden sticks have been fixed
to show that it is an entrance
beautiful landscape, ugly infrastructure
10 out of 75 schools have no entrance
Under open sky, mid day meal is prepared
9 out of 75 schools in taluka
have no kitchen for mid day meal
imagine the situation in rainy season!
details of weekly menu is displayed on
a black board. for students of 1-5 std.
Monday menu comprises khichadi &
vegetable (180 gm.) including 100 gm.
rice, 20 gram pulse, 10 gram oil 50 gm.
vegetable. healthy 1-to-3-year-old
children need 0.55 grams of protein per
pound of body weight per day, which
means the average 29-pound toddler
needs 16 grams of protein each day.
Vanaj primary school
no separate toilet for girl student
the stable of animals would be in better
condition than toilets!
the school is lying in a deep pit, which is
filled in rainy season and students take
another route to reach their classes
the surrounding mountains
the Samtela village school having separate
toilets for girl students. a rare sight!
Samtela primary school was devastated in
earth-quake and later repaired with help of
Netherlands government.
the verandah of school, where mid day
meal is cooked.
starring eyes ask, "when will we become
graduate? when will we get benefit of
so-called reservation? or simply will we
construct your homes and be crushed under
a truck at mid night?"
this is play ground of school, but it is still
a private property and in rainy season the
owner uses it for agricultural purpose!
when they saw some guests visiting their
school, they rushed to talk with them.
Really, they love their school.
They are given some rotten crumbs in the
name of mid day meal. They study under
open sky. They drink stinking water. Their
toilets never distinguish boys and girls.
Money meant for their development is
diverted to purchase buses. Reservation is
a joke for them and they laugh .......
The water tank without taps
Tribals, third biggest community after
Patel (20 %) and Thakor (20 %),
are 14 percent of Gujarat, still they
are marginalized
Children have to cross the road to reach
toilet and water tank
On the one side of road, Dagala primary school
.... and on the other side, water tank and toilet
Activists taking rest
Dagala primary school. total neglect.
this is actually a class room
.....And students sit here to learn!
the board displays: Vanbandhu Kalyan Jojana
New Gujarat pattern yojana
special central assistance
amount 75,400, year 2007-08
the staircase of stones leading to school
the playground is on the other side of road
You can not deny that there is no play ground!
