The Greater Chennai Corporation and other urban local bodies in the State are set to privatise the housekeeping operations of corporation schools.
As many as 122 primary schools, 92 middle schools, 38 high schools and 32 higher secondary schools run by the Greater Chennai Corporation are expected to benefit from cleaner toilets and water supply through this initiative. Private service providers will also start catering to the sanitation needs of suburban municipalities and other urban local bodies in the State. "The privatisation would cover the cleaning of toilets, removal of bushes, sweeping classrooms and dining halls," said an official.
The private service providers would also assume responsibility for maintenance of electrical fittings and water supply. They would be engaged in accordance with the provisions of the Tender Transparency Act. Self help groups and community-based organisations that have registered with the urban local bodies would be permitted to participate in the tender.
Schools with girl students will have a minimum of two woman sanitary workers and one sweeper for cleaning the premises. The service provider would be required to maintain a daily cleaning register. The privatisation of housekeeping operations follows the announcement by the Chief Minister on July 30, 2014, earmarking Rs. 160.77 crore for maintenance of toilets in government schools. Subsequently, orders were issued entrusting the local bodies with the maintenance of toilets in all corporation schools in their respective jurisdictions. But the sanitary condition in some schools is yet to improve. The local bodies have been deputing sanitary workers for a few hours a day but in many schools, the materials required for the maintenance of toilets are being provided by the parents-teachers associations.
Under the privatised system, the sanitary workers would be engaged throughout the day.
The sweeper will clean the premises one hour before the opening of school and after lunch. The toilets will be cleaned thrice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
