Hit by shortage of funds for maintenance, government schools demand free electricity and water

Due to the shortage of adequate funds for the maintenance of government schools, teachers and administrations are demanding free electricity and water.

Due to the shortage of adequate funds for the maintenance of government schools, teachers and administrations are demanding free electricity and water.

The Karnataka State Primary School Teachers Association (KSPSTA) submitted a proposal to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah requesting to provide free electricity and water for all Government Primary and High schools across the State.

In its letter, KSPSTA said that the government was providing funds for maintenance in instalments. But the electricity and water bills, particularly in the cities like Bengaluru, are coming up to ₹7,000 to ₹8,000 a month. Due to the fund crunch, it is not possible to pay the bills, they said, requesting the Chief Minister for free electricity and water for all the government schools.

The Department of School Education and Literacy provides a ‘School Fund’ for the maintenance of all government schools on the basis of the number of students enrolled. According to the order of Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, a government school which has 1 to 30 students is eligible for ₹ 10,000 per annum.

A school which has an enrolment of up to 100 students is eligible for ₹25,000 per annum, up to 250 students ₹50,000, up to 1,000 schools ₹75,000 and above 1,000 students ₹1 lakh per annum as maintenance charge.

But, according to school sources, the government has not been providing adequate funds for maintenance for four to five years. Instead, they are being provided with the fund for only drinking water and toilet cleaning. Many schools located in Bengaluru and other cities are facing a fund crunch for maintenance and have even reported having failed to pay the electricity and water bills and faced disconnection.

Speaking to The Hindu, a teacher from Government Higher Primary School, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru, said, “Last year, shockingly, we received ₹50,000 worth of water bills. For many years, the water bills were not paid to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and later they disconnected the water for our school. Teachers and students faced a lot of problems. Then, with the help of donors, non-government organisations and KSPSTA, we paid the water bill and got the water connection again,” they said.