HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday directed Sindh secretary of school education to appear in court on Dec 10 along with a report on steps taken by him and his department for maintenance, repairs and uplift of school buildings in Badin district and

the use of funds allocated for the purpose.

A division bench comprising Justices Nadeem Akhtar and Adnanul Karim Memon passed the order on a constitutional petition filed by Mohammad Asim Panhwar, who was represented by Manzoor Ahmed Panhwar advocate.

Badin Deputy Commissioner Hafeez Siyal and Mohammad Ali Dayo, executive engineer of Badin education works who appeared in court in compliance with Nov 13 order, informed that over 400 schools, including the school in question in Haji Ibrahim Panhwar village, which required repairs on urgent basis, were in such a dilapidated condition that students had to sit in open spaces to take classes.

They said the government had not provided funds for repairs and renovation of schools for about four years and the situation was getting worse each day.

It appeared that the education department was either unaware of the danger of the building’s possible collapse any time or it was not interested in providing education to students in a safe and healthy environment, a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution.

The court said that since it was a very serious and sensitive issue it was clarified that in case of non-compliance of this order stern action would be taken against all officers who were found responsible for the situation.

The petitioner, who was a student of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, said he was grieved to see that building of government primary school for boys in Obhayo Panhwar village in Matli taluka had been falling part for many years and poor children were forced to sit under shadows of trees to take classes.

He said that there were two primary schools, one for boys and the other for girls, in the village but both had become so dilapidated they could collapse any time due to criminal negligence and corruption of officers concerned.

He said that a group of villagers had approached education department and requested the officers to get the buildings repaired, about which a supervisor had said in a report dated Nov 6, 2014, that the edifices were dangerous. However, the villagers’ efforts came to naught.

He said that many companies working on natural resources in Badin were releasing funds under corporate social responsibility for the welfare of people but unfortunately all the funds were misappropriated by respondent officers in collusion with local politicians.

In addition, he said, both the school buildings had no boundary wall, hand pump for water and washroom and requested the court to order renovation and repair of the buildings in Haji Ibrahim Panhwar village in Matli.

He said that respondents should be directed to furnish a report on the funds released for the two schools from time to time and their utilisation.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2019