Let the CM know, 1.2m children study on floors in govt schools: SHC

Orders supply of desks within two months, payments to contractors after quality inspection

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court ordered to inform the Sindh chief minister about the lack of furniture in government schools and ordered to buy furniture for all the students within two months.

A single bench consisting of Justice Salahuddin Panhwar heard a petition related to shortage of furniture in government schools of Sindh. The report of Judicial Magistrate Umarkot and Secretary Education was presented in the court.

The report revealed that 1,280,000 students study sitting on the ground in government schools of Sindh. The report of the Secretary of Education stated that there are many schools where furniture is not.

Justice Panhwar ordered that furniture should be purchased for all students in two months and expressed shock that "our children are studying sitting on the ground in 21st century."

He gave observation that billions of rupees were budgeted every year but furniture was not available for 1.2 million students.

The Judicial Magistrate's report stated that 2,400 substandard desks were provided in Umarkot district.

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The contractor assured to replace all the desks in two months. The court ordered the contractor to provide another 9,004 desks in two months.

The court has ordered the contractor to supply standard machine-made desks.

The court remarked that the Secretary Education Committee should be constituted to examine the furniture. Furniture should be provided to schools only after inspection.

The contractor should not be paid before the inspection of the desk. The petitioner's counsel submitted that the contractor does not have his own factory, he supplies the furniture by purchasing it from the market. Eighteen hundred substandard desks have also been provided in Dadu, Tando Allahyar and Badin.

The court adjourned further hearing till February 13 while seeking the report.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2024.