The State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to impose strict norms for providing fitness certificates to aided recognised schools by making it mandatory to build toilets.
The norms relating to issuance of fitness certificates for aided recognised schools will be amended by including a provision for setting up facilities in addition to the present one related to safety of the school building. Erring schools will not be issued a fitness certificate and would not be allowed to take up new admissions.
Addressing a post-Cabinet press briefing here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said there were 96 government schools that did not have toilets. Toilets would be constructed in these schools within 100 days using the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme funds. There were 1,011 aided recognised schools that did not have toilets. The respective school managements would have to construct the toilets using their own funds this year itself. With regard to the sanction of higher secondary schools, courses and batches, Mr. Chandy reiterated his earlier stand that an elected government had the prerogative of deciding its priorities.
