Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), August 19: A social audit of schools in Shimla district has uncovered wide-ranging deficiencies in infrastructure, basic amenities, student safety, child protection, and academic monitoring, raising serious concerns over the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) standards in the state capital district.

The audit, covering 444 schools under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), found that a large number of institutions continue to struggle with inadequate classrooms, furniture, drinking water, sanitation facilities, road connectivity, and safety mechanisms.

The findings were presented at a public hearing in Theog attended by more than 2,100 stakeholders, including parents, teachers, School Management Committee members, elected representatives, education officials, and members of the local community.
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur participated in the hearing and responded to grievances raised by the public, with several issues being taken up on the spot.

Acknowledging the shortcomings highlighted by the audit, Thakur said Himachal Pradesh had performed well in the education sector but still faced significant challenges.

"Our state has many achievements in education and ranks fifth in overall performance in the country, but we have many shortcomings as well, which have been pointed out in this social audit report. We will overcome all these deficiencies and gaps in the coming times," he said.

The social audit was conducted by a team from Himachal Pradesh University under the leadership of Arpana Negi and Randhir Ranta. The team assessed 444 schools, nearly 20 per cent of the 2,068 schools in Shimla district. The remaining institutions will be covered in four subsequent phases.

Presenting the report, Ranta said the findings reflected several systemic challenges affecting the quality of education being delivered to children.
"This comprehensive report points to numerous challenges and gaps in the school education system. The performance of Shimla schools falls short of the quality standards guaranteed under the Right to Education Act," he said.

The audit found that nearly 47 per cent of surveyed schools lacked adequate classroom space, including sufficient rooms for teaching and non-teaching staff. Around 78 per cent of schools had inadequate or only partial furniture, forcing students in many institutions to study without proper seating arrangements.

The findings point to gaps in the basic learning environment despite the schools being covered under the government-supported Samagra Shiksha framework.

Student safety emerged as one of the most serious concerns. More than 43 per cent of surveyed schools did not have boundary walls or fencing, potentially exposing students to safety risks.

At the same time, nearly 79 per cent of schools were located in areas without motorable road access. The lack of connectivity forces students to walk long distances and creates additional difficulties for children with disabilities.

The audit team said the issue of accessibility needed to be examined alongside the broader goal of ensuring inclusive education.
The audit revealed a major gap in one of the most basic requirements of a school environment. Clean drinking water was unavailable in 81 per cent of the schools surveyed, raising concerns over student health and hygiene.

Sanitation facilities were also found to be inadequate. Around 23 per cent of schools did not have functional toilets for girls, while approximately 30 per cent lacked functional toilets for boys.

The audit further found that 5 per cent of schools did not have separate kitchens for the Mid-Day Meal programme.
Menstrual hygiene management was also identified as an area requiring immediate attention.

According to Himanshu, a member of the audit team, more than 13 per cent of schools did not provide sanitary pads to adolescent girls. The audit team said access to menstrual hygiene facilities was important not only for health and dignity but also for ensuring regular attendance among adolescent girls.
The report raised concerns over the implementation of mandatory child safety and grievance redressal mechanisms. School Safety Committees had not been constituted in nearly 58 per cent of the schools surveyed, according to the findings.
Complaint and suggestion boxes were also absent in around three-fourths of the institutions, limiting formal avenues for students and parents to report grievances.

The audit found an even more significant gap in counselling services, with none of the surveyed schools having access to professional counselling services.

The report also identified inadequate facilities for children with special needs, highlighting shortcomings in inclusive education infrastructure.
The audit also flagged deficiencies in administrative monitoring. More than 26 per cent of schools failed to meet prescribed library norms and standards, while inspection and monitoring by education officials were also found to be below the required level.

Devender Sharma, co-head of the social audit team, said Block Elementary Education Officers and other lower-level education officials were falling short of the prescribed inspection requirements.

"The lower educational bureaucracy, including BEOs, has been observed falling short in their inspection visits by 47 per cent, creating a non-serious academic climate in the schools," Sharma said.

The public hearing provided parents, teachers, and community representatives an opportunity to raise concerns directly with education authorities. Participants demanded improved infrastructure, better road connectivity, adequate drinking water and sanitation, stronger student safety mechanisms, improved monitoring, and greater accountability among officials.

Education experts said the findings underline the need for time-bound corrective measures to ensure that infrastructure and service deficiencies do not undermine children's right to equitable and quality education. The findings are expected to be submitted to the state Education Department for further action.

The Theog hearing was the 12th and final public hearing in a series conducted across all districts of Himachal Pradesh over the past three months as part of the social audit exercise.

The audit of 444 schools in Shimla district represents the first phase of the district-level assessment, with the remaining schools expected to be covered in four subsequent phases.

The findings have brought into focus the gap between policy commitments and ground-level implementation of school education standards, particularly in the areas of basic amenities, safety, accessibility, child protection and administrative accountability.