Web India: Chandigarh: Monday,
03 August 2020.
Treating
safety of students, especially in government-run schools, is of a humongous
public interest, the Information Commission in Punjab has ruled that a parent
has the right to know about the school, where his or her ward is going or
getting admitted to, is safe.
During
hearings, it was found that some schools, whether they are private,
government-aided or government-operated, may not be meeting and complying with
the prescribed standards of building and fire safety norms set by the
appropriate authority.
In a
far-reaching order, Information Commissioner Khushwant Singh on July 28
directed that valid certificates of fire and building safety and board
affiliations issued by the appropriate authorities be declared suo-motu by all
schools in the state on their websites and notice boards.
Having
gone through the Right to Information (RTI) application and hearing both the
parties, the commission observed that the building safety certificate, fire
safety certificate and school affiliation or recognition certificate are not
the personal information, rather these should be displayed on the notice board
of the department.
The
commission directed the Public Information Officer (PIO) to provide a copy of
building safety certificate, fire safety certificate and school affiliation or
recognition certificate of Holy Step Public School in Amritsar district to
appellant Kamaldeep Kaur.
However,
financial statements and maps may not be provided.
During
the course of hearing, the Information Commissioner observed that a larger
issue had emerged regarding the safety of children and staff in schools.
"That
there lies a humongous public interest in taking a broader view of the issue of
safety of children and staff in schools than merely confining it to one school
about which the information is sought," said the order.
"It
is evident from the ongoing hearings that some schools may not be meeting and
complying with the prescribed standards... These, the bench feels, are the most
important requirements for any educational institution, much important than the
service that they provide, as human safety is above everything else," said
the order.
Moreover,
every parent has the right to know that the school where his or her ward is
going or getting admitted to is safe and has a valid affiliation with a school
board to run its day-to-day business.
"It
is clear that there is an urgent need to bring about transparency in this
matter, as these certificates or materials should be a matter of suo-motu
declaration rather than being confined in record rooms, only to be sought under
the RTI Act," he said.
All
schools are required to display fire and building safety certification as well
as board affiliation certificates.
In case
a school has no website it will be mandatory to display this information
prominently on the notice board, and in case of schools with websites, this
information will be displayed on both the forums, said the order.
If a
school is not compliant with any one of the three, it will still proactively
disclose the status quo of all the three points.
The
order directed the District Education Officers to ensure its compliance with
immediate effect, failing which they will be held responsible for not
implementing this order.
Also
they will upload this information on the departmental websites, including the
name of the schools that are not compliant.
For
example, a school can be complaint in one and non-compliant in the other two.
Each compliance or non-compliance must be clearly stated on the website, said
the order.
Listing
the case for next hearing on August 25, the Information Commissioner observed
that the case is being kept open to ensure that this order is implemented in
its true spirit.
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