A school and a place of worship can be compared to sacred locations that ignite the goodness within people who come to them. The first one brings optimism for an improved existence, while the second one provides a sense of tranquility. However, there is no optimism or sense of tranquility at the PM SHRI Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Canacona, South Goa.
A surprise visit to the senior secondary school, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), has uncovered distressing scenes, including unsanitary living conditions, sanitation issues, and overcrowding at the boys and girls' hostels for students.
Conducted on March 15, 2024, this surprise inspection unearthed severe inadequacies and non-compliance issues that significantly endanger the health, safety and welfare of the resident children.
The Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) has released a comprehensive inspection report, detailing the alarming conditions at the school hostels in Canacona.
According to the report, it was discovered that the hostels had unsanitary living conditions and was severely neglected. The living spaces were filled with personal items and waste, which led to a dirty environment.
Medicine mismanagement was another observation, with unsupervised access to medicines, cough syrups, some of them unlabelled were discovered, posing grave risks to children, particularly those under 15.
Fire safety negligence was also observed, and the absence of fire extinguishers across the premises of the hostels undermined emergency preparedness and child safety.
The hostels were found to have unhygienic living conditions, and in a state of severe neglect.
Toilet facilities and sanitation were deplorable. Toilets were in disrepair, with pervasive foul odours, reflecting a disregard for basic hygiene and health standards.
The deteriorating living standards can be attributed to the lack of a suitable warden and inadequate supervision, indicating a clear lack of proper administrative oversight.
Counselling services were absent, which means that over 400 children are without essential emotional and psychological support, highlighting a neglect of their comprehensive well-being.
Overcrowding and capacity issues have resulted from the hostels' limited capacity which exacerbates existing challenges, compromising the quality of care.
Another problem was the improper sanitary napkin disposal resulting from faulty incinerators for sanitary napkins, posing hygiene and health risks.
Laundry practices were found wanting, and inappropriate drying of clothes inside dormitories impacts air quality and cleanliness.
Following an inspection at the hostels, the Goa SCPCR has issued urgent directives to address critical issues. These directives, which range from immediate to long-term adjustments, seek to greatly improve quality of life and guarantee the well-being and safety of students.
Key mandates include comprehensive cleaning, structured medicine management to secure and supervise medication use, and installing fire safety equipment with necessary training.
The directives also tackle structural and administrative shortcomings, stressing the need for improved toilet facilities, a revamped administrative approach with a new warden for enhanced supervision, and counselling services to support student well-being.
To tackle the issue of overcrowding, the Goa SCPCR said it was necessary to assess the capacity of the hostels and consider expanding if needed. Special attention should be given to maintaining proper hygiene by installing napkin incinerators and establishing specific areas for laundry purposes, it noted.
The commission proposed the creation of a Hostel Inspection Committee to facilitate compliance oversight and periodic evaluations, aligning with its commitment to uphold the highest standards of child protection and welfare.
The GSCPCR has demanded swift remedial actions from the institution's administration, emphasising that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would result in legal action under the CPCR Act 2005.
The condition of the school hostels came as a shocker to Goa GSCPCR because the PM SHRI schools were intended to serve as a network of exemplary schools that would showcase excellence and serve as hubs of beliefs, practices, and knowledge for the entire education system.
