JAIPUR: In the wake of the tragic Jhalawar school wall collapse incident that claimed the lives of seven children, fresh incidents from Jaisalmer and Udaipur have once again highlighted the crumbling condition of government school buildings in the State.Two rooms of a government school in Kotada, Udaipur, collapsed around 8 pm on July 27. Fortunately, since the incident did not occur during school hours, another potential disaster was prevented. Upon receiving the information, residents, including Pipla Sarpanch, rushed to the spot to assess the damage. According to locals, several school buildings in the Kotada region are in a severely dilapidated condition and pose a serious threat to students and staff.Jhalawar School tragedy puts Rajasthan Education Minister in the dock: Will he Resign?In a separate incident, a portion of the plaster ceiling at the Amba Khadra Anganwadi Centre in Eklingpura village of Gram Panchayat Manvakheda collapsed late at night.No children were present at the time, averting a major mishap. However, the incident has left Anganwadi workers and local children shocked.Villagers claimed that they had repeatedly informed the Panchayat and concerned departments about the dangerous condition of the building, but no repairs had been initiated.These incidents point to serious negligence by the authorities and underline the deteriorating condition of public infrastructure in educational institutions.Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the Jhalawar tragedy. Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand described the incident as “nerve-shocking, heart-breaking, and society-rocking,” expressing deep concern over the condition and safety of government schools in the State.The court observed that even though 6% of the state budget is allocated to education, the condition of many schools remains deplorable. Shockingly, 32% of government schools lack electricity, 9% do not have access to drinking water, and many still do not have separate toilets for boys and girls — leaving girl students especially vulnerable.The court highlighted the gravity of the situation by stating: “Girls are afraid to go to school due to the lack of basic facilities. If they drink water, they fear needing a toilet that doesn’t exist.”The High Court has issued notices to the Union Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Development, as well as to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary, Education Department, Women and Child Development Department, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, demanding detailed reports on the current status and for immediate measures being taken.The court has asked why the following directions should not be issued.Immediate survey and identification of all dilapidated or dangerous school buildings.Preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.Compensation and full support (including treatment and education) for affected families.Proportional development of schools according to the local population.Provision of separate, clean toilets for girls.Free sanitary napkins and installation of vending machines in schools.Regular power supply, fans, and proper lighting facilities in every school.Establishment of libraries and computer labs with internet access in all schools.Development of an online complaint redressal system.Fixing accountability and recovering costs in cases of poor construction.Initiation of departmental and criminal action against responsible officials.Formation of district-level committees for monthly inspections and monitoring.As incidents of school infrastructure failures continue to emerge, the state now faces urgent pressure from both the judiciary and the public to ensure the safety and dignity of its school-going children.Families shattered as ignored warnings surface in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar school collapse’My home is empty… no one left to play’: Mother who lost both kids in Jhalawar school tragedy
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