Latest news with #PiplodiGovernmentSchool
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Deaths in school: on the state of government schools
On July 25, tragedy awaited students of Classes 6 and 7 at the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district as they assembled for prayer. A part of their school building gave way leading to the deaths of seven and injuries to several others. Most of the students were from tribal communities. The school is in the southeastern part of the State bordering Madhya Pradesh. There was a similar incident the next day in Nagaur district but the school was closed being a holiday. There has been much public anger in the State over the incidents which, quite rightly, have thrown the spotlight on the state of government schools. As in UDISE 2023-24 data, there are more than 70,000 government schools in Rajasthan serving nearly 84 lakh students, especially from the poorer and marginalised sections. Of these, some 8,000 schools have been estimated by the Education Department to be in a poor condition. The Jhalawar school was not among the schools identified as being in a poor state, indicating the extent of the problems. Some ₹650 crore had been allocated in the past two State budgets for boosting the infrastructure but inefficiencies in government have ensured that the measures did not make much difference. Fixing the infrastructure of government schools should be a priority for the State's Bharatiya Janata Party government. The tragedy in Rajasthan should serve as a wake-up call across India, given the current policy defocus on government-owned education institutions. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had called for an immediate increase in spending on education, from some 4.6% of GDP to 6%, identifying one-time spends on infrastructure as the lead priority besides identifying other sectors for a boost in support. Five years into the NEP, there is little to suggest that this has been a focus area for governments, Union or State. Policy thrusts have been more towards reducing government support, self-financing, and encouraging private sector contribution. While these may be applicable to higher education, basic school education is a primary duty of the government — as it is across the world including in the most developed nations. Setting up model schools and funding them to serve as exemplars cannot be at the cost of mass school education. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy has been identified as a critical area for boosting workforce productivity and reaping the demographic dividend that will soon run its course as India's population ages. But the discourse on pathways towards achieving them is more on pedagogy, non-formal teaching and so on than the essentials — an infrastructure boost and teacher recruitment and training.
Deccan Herald
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Rajasthan govt announces closure of unsafe school buildings
Two days after a portion of the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children, the state government on Sunday announced a series of urgent measures, including closure and demolition of unsafe school buildings, GIS-mapping of all vulnerable structures, and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor structural safety. School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, who chaired an emergency meeting with senior officials from both the departments, said a proposal of Rs 150 crore under the disaster management fund has been prepared for repair works in 7,500 schools across 170 tehsils, officials said. The move comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of school infrastructure, especially during the monsoon season in southeastern Rajasthan. Dilawar said a statewide survey is being conducted by the district collectors to identify the dilapidated school buildings. 'Buildings found to be structurally unsafe will be marked with a red cross and shut down immediately. These will be demolished on priority, and temporary classrooms using container units will be arranged as an interim solution," Dilawar said. In a statement, the minister said the state will create a GIS-based application linked to the Shala Darpan portal to catalogue all dilapidated and repairable buildings. The platform will also integrate AI-based monitoring to assess building safety and guide budget allocations.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Rajasthan govt announces closure, demolition of unsafe school buildings
Jaipur, Jul 27 (PTI) Two days after a portion of the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children, the state government on Sunday announced a series of urgent measures, including closure and demolition of unsafe school buildings, GIS-mapping of all vulnerable structures, and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor structural safety. School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, who chaired an emergency meeting with senior officials from both the departments, said a proposal of Rs 150 crore under the disaster management fund has been prepared for repair works in 7,500 schools across 170 tehsils, officials said. The move comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of school infrastructure, especially during the monsoon season in southeastern Rajasthan. Dilawar said a statewide survey is being conducted by the district collectors to identify the dilapidated school buildings. 'Buildings found to be structurally unsafe will be marked with a red cross and shut down immediately. These will be demolished on priority, and temporary classrooms using container units will be arranged as an interim solution," Dilawar said. In a statement, the minister said the state will create a GIS-based application linked to the Shala Darpan portal to catalogue all dilapidated and repairable buildings. The platform will also integrate AI-based monitoring to assess building safety and guide budget allocations. The minister also announced the creation of a quality control unit within the Samagra Shiksha scheme to supervise school construction, and ordered that all construction materials and workmanship be tested through PWD-certified labs. In case of substandard construction, the contractor and engineers will be held financially liable, he said. In a move extending beyond government institutions, Dilawar said that private schools across the state will also be surveyed for safety compliance. Checks will also include fitness and medical status of school vehicles and drivers, while first-aid and fire safety training will be provided to the school management committees. To bridge funding gaps, Dilawar said all MLAs and MPs in the state will be asked to contribute 20 per cent of their development fund towards school safety measures. Additionally, a demand will be placed with the concerned ministers to use 20 per cent of funds from Dang, Magra and Mewat development schemes for the same purpose. Meanwhile, in anticipation of heavy rainfall in southeastern Rajasthan, the district collectors have been authorised to declare school holidays in the vulnerable districts. The minister also instructed Panchayati Raj officials to conduct a review of pink toilet construction, ensure uncompromised quality in all ongoing projects, and enforce regular maintenance of public toilets. PTI AG ARI ARI view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 23:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Rajasthan school tragedy: Six children cremated together, siblings laid to rest on same pyre
Jaipur: Piplodi village in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district plunged into deep sorrow on Saturday as six of the seven children who lost their lives in the tragic school building collapse were cremated together. One child was taken to the nearby village of Chandpura Bhilan for the final rites. As the bodies of the six children arrived in Piplodi early in the morning, cries of anguish filled the air. The silence of mourning was broken by heart-wrenching screams, as grieving families and villagers gathered to bid farewell to the young souls. In the presence of the Superintendent of Police and other administrative officials, the bodies were handed over to the families at 5:00 AM. From the Manohar Thana Hospital, the deceased were transported to their respective homes in separate vehicles. The atmosphere in the village turned chaotic with the arrival of the bodies, as sorrow gripped every household. Preparations for the cremation had begun even before the arrival of the bodies. The remains were quickly taken to the cremation ground near the accident site under heavy police presence. A tragic moment unfolded as the bodies of siblings Kanha and Meena were carried together on a single bier. The final rites of all six children were performed at the cremation ground on five pyres. Fathers of the deceased lit the pyres, and as the flames rose, tears flowed freely. The seventh child was cremated in Chandpura Bhilan village. The village of Piplodi is cloaked in grief and anger. In two families, the only child was lost, while in another, both children perished. Most of the deceased were between 7 to 10 years old and belonged to families struggling with poverty. Many of the parents are daily wage labourers, now left shattered by the loss of their children. In a compassionate gesture following the tragic collapse of a government school building in Jhalawar's Manoharthana block, the Rajasthan government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh and a contractual job for the families of the seven children who lost their lives. Additionally, classrooms in newly constructed school buildings will be named in memory of the deceased students. The devastating incident took place on Friday when a portion of the building at Piplodi Government School collapsed, leaving seven children dead and 21 others injured, of whom nine remain in critical condition. Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar visited the injured children at SRG Hospital in Jhalawar. Dilawar said, "I take full responsibility for this incident." Following a preliminary inquiry, the Education Department suspended five teachers, including the headmaster of the school. Meanwhile, public outrage intensified after the incident. Villagers, protesting at Burari intersection in Manoharthana, pelted stones at police personnel, resulting in damage to police vehicles.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rajasthan school roof collapse: As 7 students die, Congress leaders Rahul, Kharge demand probe, strict action
The Congress has slammed the BJP over the death of seven children in a government school building roof collapse in Rajasthan's Jhalawar, with Rahul Gandhi demanding a probe and strict punishment for the culprits. A regular morning that saw students assembling for prayers quickly turned into tragedy on Friday when a portion of their government school building collapsed, killing seven children and injuring 27, some of them critically. The youngest of those who died was only six years old. Minutes into the morning at the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, a part of the middle school building housing Classes 6 and 7 gave way, burying several children. In a post in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the death of many innocent children due to the collapse of the roof of a government school in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, is a very painful and shameful incident. 'The government, which cannot repair the roofs of the schools of our children, despite complaints, for the future of the country, shows big dreams of 'Viksit Bharat',' he said. राजस्थान के झालावाड़ में सरकारी स्कूल की छत गिरने से कई मासूम बच्चों की जान चली जाना बेहद पीड़ादायक और शर्मनाक घटना है। जो सरकार देश के भविष्य, हमारे बच्चों के स्कूलों के लिए, शिकायतों के बावजूद, छत ठीक नहीं करवा सकती, वो 'विकसित भारत' के बड़े-बड़े सपने दिखाती है। बीते दिन की… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 25, 2025 According to a news report from the previous day, water in a school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was so much that the teachers themselves had to take the nursery children to a safe place, he said. Today, the news has come that the building of a school in Jodhpur has become so dilapidated that the children are forced to study under a neem tree, he said. 'The BJP, which boasts a lot about development, has ruined the country. Bridge collapses, train accidents, cracks in newly built roads, statues of great personalities getting damaged after inauguration – all these have become common,' he alleged. 'The attention of the BJP is focused on only one thing – hunger for power!' Kharge said. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also lashed out at the BJP over the incident. 'It is extremely saddening and worrying that several innocent children died and many others were injured when the roof of a government school collapsed in Jhalawar, Rajasthan,' he said on X. राजस्थान के झालावाड़ में सरकारी स्कूल की छत गिरने से कई मासूम बच्चों की मौत और कई अन्य का घायल होना बेहद दुखद और चिंताजनक है। मीडिया रिपोर्ट्स के मुताबिक, जर्जर स्कूलों की शिकायतों को सरकार ने अनदेखा किया, जिसके कारण इन मासूमों की जान गई है। इनमें से अधिकांश बच्चे बहुजन समाज के… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 25, 2025 'According to media reports, the government ignored the complaints about dilapidated schools, due to which these innocent children lost their lives. Most of these children belonged to the Bahujan Samaj – do their lives have no value for the BJP government?' Gandhi said. 'There should be an impartial investigation of this incident and the culprits should be given the strictest punishment,' he asserted. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the news of the death of several innocent children and injuries to many due to the collapse of the roof of a school in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, is extremely saddening. 'According to reports, serious negligence regarding the dilapidated building took the lives of the innocent children. The matter should be investigated immediately, and strict action should be taken against the culprits,' she said. Slabs of concrete, bricks and stones were piled up high, and scores of people, including frantic parents and teachers, helped in the rescue effort, searching through the mounds of debris to pull out the children.
