Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite crore of rupees being allocated for repair and construction of toilets in government schools, nearly 25,000 schools in Madhya Pradesh lack basic sanitation facilities.
Of them, 19,400 are primary and middle schools including nearly 9,000 girls’ schools, according to school education department. At the higher secondary level, about 7,000 schools have no toilets, raising concerns over hygiene and student retention.
In January 2026, the department had sanctioned Rs 2.9 lakh per school for constructing toilets in 1,791 schools that had none. Additionally, Rs 20,000 each was released to 3,850 schools for repair work. Notably, these same schools had also received repair funds in 2025.
Officials said that although funds were released last year with a deadline of July 31, 2025 for construction and July 1, 2025 for repairs, many schools failed to build or repair toilets within the stipulated time. Following this lapse, fresh directions were issued in January this year, asking schools to complete the pending construction and repair work by February, but still many did not follow it.
Department sources said primary and middle schools were given Rs 20,000 per school, with over 19,000 schools collectively receiving Rs 39 crore. For higher secondary schools, Rs 25,000 was allocated to those with up to 200 students, while schools with higher enrolment received Rs 50,000 each. However, many institutions failed to meet these deadlines and toilet facilities remain incomplete or non-functional.
A senior Rajya Shiksha Kendra official said, “Monitoring is underway. The department has sent show cause notice to district project coordinators of 12 districts for not cooperating and delaying the construction of toilets.”
