As schools across Uttarakhand reopened on Tuesday after the summer break, concerns about student safety loomed large due to the poor condition of many school buildings. According to official data, 942 school buildings in the state are in a dilapidated state, posing serious risk of accidents, especially during the ongoing monsoon season.
Many of these buildings have leaking roofs or water accumulation issues, while some lack protective boundary walls, increasing the danger of landslides in hilly regions. In districts like Raipur, Vikasnagar, Chakrata, and Kalsi in Dehradun, teachers’ unions have raised alarms about unsafe classrooms and waterlogging within school premises.
Dharmendra Rawat, district president of the Primary Teachers Association, and Vinod Thapa, state president of the Junior High School Teachers Association, both highlighted the dangers posed by landslides and waterlogging during heavy rains. They have long demanded that the state government repair the unsafe school infrastructure and consider shifting the June summer break to July to avoid monsoon-related risks for students and teachers.
In response, Director of Secondary Education Dr. Mukul Kumar Sati stated that only 19 secondary school buildings were in disrepair, some of which have already been demolished and reconstructed. Officials have been instructed not to allow students to sit in such buildings.
Director General of Education Deepti Singh has directed all Chief Education Officers to take immediate safety measures. She emphasized that students must not be seated in crumbling classrooms or near damaged walls. Special precautions must be taken if there are seasonal streams near school premises, and waterlogging within school compounds must be prevented.
