Members of the Andhra Pradesh School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (APSERMC) are planning to rope in Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Medical and Health and other departments to check the conditions in private schools and colleges in the State.
The commission members, who have inspected schools and colleges to verify sanitation, drinking water supply, toilets, quality of food, education system, fee collection, conditions in hostels and classrooms, first aid, laboratories, libraries and other facilities expressed concern over the pathetic situation prevailing in some institutions.
Panel teams, led by its Chairman R. Kantha Rao and Vice-Chairperson Vijaya Sarada Reddy, visited the institutions in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Guntur, Krishna, Tirupati and other districts in the last few days, observed that the managements of many educational institutions are not following the orders of the government.
“During inspections, we received complaints in writing about the stale and substandard food being served in mess and poor sanitation in canteens, hostels and colleges. Some students are suffering from various ailments due to poor quality of food. Staff members are reportedly harassing and threatening the students and their parents if the problems are revealed,” said a member of the commission, C.A.V. Prasad.
Surprise checks
Another member B. Eswaraiah has said the commission is planning to conduct surprise checks on the institutions along with FSSAI, Roads and Buildings, Medical and Health, Education, Police and other departments and book cases.
The commission members recently met Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh and explained the pathetic conditions in some private schools and colleges in State. A detailed report will be submitted to the government soon, Mr. Prasad has said.
“The teams tasted food in some hostels. The commission will file criminal cases under the local laws against the managements, which are playing with the lives of children,” said V. Narayana Reddy, a member.
The commission has observed that a few corporate and private colleges are running without permission, proper buildings, necessary documents, psychologists, sanitisers, proper hygienic conditions, first aid centres and medical officers. Some institutions are collecting COVID fund from the students.
Plea to parents
“We request parents to check quality of education, food, sanitation, medical and other facilities in the institutions whenever they visit the schools and colleges. There are no parent committees too,” says Mr. Narayana Reddy.
