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NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed all states and UTs to carry out immediate safety audits of school buildings and take strict action against unsafe structures. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Lok Sabha Monday that the directive, issued on Aug 7, asks authorities to demolish or repair buildings found to be structurally unsafe and ensure they are not used until certified safe by competent engineers.Pradhan, replying to a Parliament question from MP Alok Kumar Suman, said states have been told to arrange temporary schooling where demolitions or major repairs are necessary, and to repurpose the cleared spaces for activities such as playgrounds or skill-based training. He stressed that re-occupancy of repaired or new buildings will only be permitted after safety certification. “This is part of the ministry’s zero-tolerance policy against negligence in student safety,” he said. Hw reminded the House that the Centre had earlier issued several guidelines, including the school education and literacy department’s ‘2021 Guidelines on School Safety and Security’, the National Disaster Management Authority’s ‘2016 School Safety Policy’ and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights’ ‘2018 Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools’. These documents lay out protocols for structural audits, mock drills, installation of fire extinguishers, disaster preparedness training, and compliance with fire and building safety codes.
