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| Safety audit of more than 50% schools pending, resumption of offline classes uncertain | | | Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 13: Although schools in Jammu province reopened on September 8, the resumption of offline classes remains uncertain, as safety audits for more than 50 percent of educational institutions are yet to be completed. The Education Department has clarified that in-person classes will only begin once all school buildings are declared structurally safe.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has already started conducting safety inspections, but offline classes will only commence after the audit reports are received. In addition to the PWD, officials from the Education Department, including Chief Education Officers (CEOs), are carrying out surveys of school infrastructure in their respective districts.
Earlier, the School Education Department had announced that offline classes would resume from September 10 following the reopening of schools. However, due to ongoing infrastructural and safety concerns, the Director of School Education has delegated the responsibility to individual school heads, allowing them to decide whether or not to restart offline teaching in their institutions.
A formal order issued by the Directorate of School Education, titled Mandatory Safety Measures Prior to Reopening of Schools, strictly prohibits offline classes from beginning in both government and private schools unless a valid structural safety certificate is provided by the competent authority.
“Heads of Institutions (HOIs) or School Management Committees are directed to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of school buildings and submit detailed reports to the concerned authority,” the order states.
The directive further emphasizes that after obtaining the safety certificate, HOIs and management committees must assess the overall readiness of their schools before deciding to resume offline classes.
In cases where the building is structurally safe and a formal audit is not required, school heads or management committees are instructed to submit a signed undertaking certifying the building’s fitness for conducting offline classes. This document must be submitted to the Chief Education Officer (CEO) or Zone Education Officer (ZEO) before classes can restart.
However, sources within the department confirmed that audits for the majority of schools are still incomplete. “Safety audits for nearly 50 percent of government schools are pending,” an official disclosed. The responsibility for conducting these audits was assigned to the PWD, but due to manpower shortages, the process has been delayed.
This uncertainty has left many schools reluctant to resume offline teaching. Officials have expressed concern that expediting the process could put students and staff at risk if safety protocols are overlooked.
With schools officially reopened but offline classes stalled in several areas, authorities are prioritizing the completion of safety audits before giving the go-ahead for classroom learning. The situation remains dynamic, with the final decision resting on individual school heads once structural integrity is confirmed. |
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