The Madhya Pradesh High Court has refused to shut down the only school functioning in a village despite finding serious shortcomings in its infrastructure, observing that closing the institution would put the education of local children at risk. Instead, the Court directed the gram panchayat, local representatives and villagers to work together to improve the school's facilities, as reported by Bar and Bench.
The decision came while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning Devarsi High School, the only operational school in Kotari Gram Panchayat in Umaria district.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal noted that although the school lacked several basic facilities, withdrawing its recognition was not a practical solution because there was no alternative government school available in the village.
The Court observed that shutting the school would directly affect the education of children and stressed that efforts should instead focus on removing the deficiencies in the larger public interest.
Court prioritises children's education
The PIL had been filed by the sarpanch and up-sarpanch of Kotari Gram Panchayat, who sought cancellation of the school's recognition over alleged violations related to infrastructure and functioning, as reported by Bar and Bench.
According to the petition, the school was operating without adequate classrooms, toilets, drinking water, electricity, sufficient seating arrangements, a playground or parking facilities. It was also alleged that the institution faced a shortage of teachers.
The petition relied on reports prepared by the Block Education Officer and an inspection committee appointed by the District Education Officer, both of which pointed to multiple shortcomings.
Inspection revealed several deficiencies
The inspection team concluded that the school operated from a thatched building, which consisted of wooden poles that were termite-infested, putting the learners at risk of harm.
It also indicated that the classes were over-crowded and under-lit, the sanitary facilities were makeshift, electrical wires were hazardous, the blackboards were poorly maintained, and the students fetched water from a communal hand pump that was situated outside the school compound.
There was no playground and car-parking, and there were also no subject teachers. It further recorded that teachers were allegedly being paid in cash and that the school management could not produce recognition-related documents during the inspection.
Court asks panchayat to take responsibility
While acknowledging the deficiencies, the High Court pointed out that the petitioners themselves, being the elected sarpanch and up-sarpanch, also had a responsibility to improve educational and civic facilities in the village.
As per the Bar and Bench reports, the Bench advised that the Gram Panchayat consider the matter in its general body meeting and resolve about how to improve the infrastructure of the school through the efforts of the locals.
It also instructed the petitioners to file a compliance report, backed up with affidavits, regarding what was done to comply with the Court’s orders.
