SHILLONG: The youth wing of Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has alleged misuse of public money sanctioned for construction of additional school class room.
The KHNAM said it had filed a series of RTI application with the Sub-Divisional School Education Officer and the Office of the Director of School Education & Literacy after receiving information that Rs 75,000 sanctioned as non-recurring grant-in-aid for construction of additional school class room under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme for Madrassa Himayatul Islam UP School Shillong.
The KHNAM pointed to the guidelines associated with the sanctioning order which stated that the school should have undisputed and sufficient land for construction of school building with scope for further expansion.
However, the SDSEO in the RTI reply stated that the school did not have a land patta of its own.
Further, the Director of School Education & Literacy (DSEL) in an RTI reply further intimated that building permission for the subject school was not available and the Tax Receipt copy of the land was also not available.
The sanctioning order guidelines stated the School Managing Committee shall be responsible for maintenance and repairs of the building putting proper boundary fencing and upkeep of the building on completion.
However, the KHNAM pointed out if the school did not have land it was impossible for it to be responsible for maintenance, repairs and provision of boundary fencing.
The KHANM alleged that the Managing Committee of the subject school, which was approved by the Sub-Divisional School Education Officer, Shillong, consisted of members whose qualification was below matric (tenth) and had members even with education up to only class III.
Further, the party alleged there were also criminal charges against few members of the members of the managing committee.
“It is discouraging to know that the authority approved and entrusted management of school business in the hands of people whose qualification are very low besides having criminal charges pending against them ,” KHNAM said in a memorandum to the Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui.
In connection with the alleged misuse of public funds, the KHNAM appealed to the Education Minister to conduct an enquiry.