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The education department of the Chennai Corporation hasutilizedjusthalfof the funds received through education tax and .35.05 crore was diverted for works not authorizedunder theelementary education fund(EEF).Thesedetails were revealed in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report releasedon Saturday.

As per guidelines issued by the state government, 25% of education funds must be used for yearly maintenance of school buildings. But going by the details furnished by the civicbody,the reportobservedthat these funds were underutilized. As a result of this, hundreds of students continued to study in dilapidated buildings that lacked safety measures, basic hygiene and manpower, the CAG report said.

“Annual expenditure incurred for maintenance of school buildings was just 5-8% of the 25% allotted, despite the fact that several schools needed repairs,” the report said. The corporation instead diverted .35.05 crore to lay roads and repair streetlights in the vicinity of the schools, when the guidelines clearly state that funds mustbeusedonly for repair and maintenanceof schools.

The report said that out of 697 priority works requested by the education department between 2005 and 2010, only 79 works were carried out. It was also notedthatthelistdid notinclude schools that required urgent attention, such as primary schools in Alwarpet, Strahans Road, Kodangaiyur and a middleschoolin Coronation Nagar.

“Schools with more than 1,500 students were functioning out of dilapidated buildings. There were also instances of roof collapse, electric shocks due to damaged wiring, and lack of water facilities and restrooms in the schools,” the report said. Rules say that drinking water via reverse osmosis system shouldbe providedin all schools,buttheCAG reportsaid that in 29 of 79 schools from where samples were taken, “provision for purified drinking water was not made.” Students consumed water from open sources such as water pumps,wells andwater lorries.

Sanitation facilities, too, were found to be inadequate. The reportsaid, “Seven outof 79 sample schools did not have toilet facilities and 18 schools had nourinals at all.” As per norms, corporation schools must have one flush toilet per 25 girls and 50 boys, and six urinals per 100 boys.Thestudy saidthat nocorporation school had obtained building licence under The Tamil Nadu Public buildings Act of 1965.The report alsosaidthat schools did not have adequate fire safety measures. “In 26 out of 79 sampleschools,thefireextinguisher had not been refilled for twotothree years,” itsaid.

Though inspection was carried out by educational officers, the department has no data on maintenance work required and carried out. The report said, “Theeducationalofficer of the corporation did not take action on reports of inspecting officials which led to shortfall in maintenanceof buildings.”

-times of india