In a high-level meeting held on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials to carry out a comprehensive and intensive review of the physical infrastructure of council schools across the state.
Emphasising the government's commitment to quality education, he made it clear that no school should suffer from dilapidated buildings, unhygienic conditions, or lack of basic facilities. Where such issues exist, immediate corrective action must be initiated, and accountability of the officials fixed, the chief minister asserted.
"The chief minister reaffirmed the government's resolve to provide children with an inspiring, clean, and safe learning environment. To this end, he directed that special teams be constituted in every district, led by the district magistrate and BSA, to conduct on-ground verification of schools' conditions," according to an official statement.
"The review must comprehensively assess various aspects, including the structural integrity of school buildings, availability of drinking water, functioning toilets, electricity supply, furniture, wall painting, ramp facilities, and seating arrangements for children," it added.
He further directed that in cases where school buildings are found to be structurally unsafe or severely deteriorated, children must be relocated to temporary facilities immediately, and renovation or reconstruction should begin without delay.
The chief minister also emphasised the importance of involving public representatives such as MPs and MLAs in this campaign through active dialogue.
While reviewing the progress of "Operation Kayakalp," the chief minister highlighted that before 2017, only 36 per cent of the state's schools had adequate infrastructure, and just 7,500 schools had functional libraries.
Additionally, only 33.9 per cent of schools had toilet facilities for girls, according to the statement.
He said that facilities for digital education, smart classrooms, uniforms, footwear, and textbook distribution were also "highly inadequate" at the time. Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, only 10,784 children were enrolled in 2016-17.
In sharp contrast, the number has surged to 4.58 lakh in the 2024-25 academic session, as per the statement.