The state government is yet to provide toilets in 6,075 schools and drinking water facility in 9,270 schools.
The school education department has identified government schools across the state that do not have toilet and drinking water facilities following the recent directions of the Supreme Court to provide these facilities within six months, that is, by March 31, 2013.
Funds released by the Centre under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) will be used to provide the facilities in government schools.
It took an SC?order to force state governments to provide basic facilities in their schools. Chief secretary Minnie Mathew had issued directions to the school education department to see that the court’s directions are met before the deadline.
The government teachers’ associations, however, say many more schools than those listed by the government lack toilet and drinking water facilities. The government is deliberately trying to hide facts, they said.
The associations say that around half of the 80,000 government schools lack these basic facilities. Though the other half have toilets, they do not function due to lack of water and maintenance.
The teachers point out that the state education department has stopped funding the maintenance of toilets and drinking water facilities.
It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court can force governments to changing this shameful state of affairs.