Madhya Pradesh: Govt schools grappling with poor funding for three years in Sardarpur

Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 450 governmental schools in Sardarpur tehsil of Dhar district are still waiting for the government to release the ‘contingency fund’ for this year even as the academic session 2022-23 is about to conclude.  There are more than 450 government schools including primary, middle, high, higher secondary schools under Sardarpur tehsil.  These schools are struggling with abysmal infrastructure, a shortage of teachers, poor building conditions, and deteriorating walls due to inadequate funding and inadequate contingency funds for the past three years now, which has negatively impacted the students.

The contingency fund is given to government run schools by the local government per annum for maintenance purposes such as construction, drinking water facilities, stationery, painting, benches and to meet some urgent or unforeseen expenditure of the governmental schools.  The contingency fund’ has not been released as of now, causing great difficulties for schools to pay bills for school supplies. Shopkeepers are now bothering teachers to pay the amount. The government must ensure that there is an adequate ‘contingency fund’ for maintenance purposes in governmental schools.

Earlier the fund amount used to be directly deposited in the account of the school management committee, but from the past few years, the amount is deposited directly in the account of the shopkeepers through Block Resource Centre (BRC).  Schools receive no funds for buying sports equipment and to meet urgent expenditures during the academic session. Teachers are facing great hardships while paying bills along with maintaining school premises whereas shopkeepers are constantly bothering them for reimbursement.