SHILLONG: The youth wing of Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) pointed to the misuse of public money regarding an amount sanctioned for the construction of a school class room.
A KHNAM spokesperson said that a series of RTI were filed with the sub-divisional school education officer and the office of the Director of School Education & Literacy due to information received that an amount of Rs 75,000 was sanctioned as a non-recurring grant in aid for construction of an additional class room under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme for Madrassa Himayatul Islam UP School in the city.
The KHNAM referred to the sanctioning order guidelines which stated that the school should have undisputed and sufficient land for the construction of a school building with scope for further expansion.
However, according to the reply stated in the RTI by the SDSEO, the school does not have a land patta of its own.
Further, the Director of School Education & Literacy (DSEL) stated that building permission for the subject school is not available and the tax receipt copy of the land is also not available.
The sanctioning order guidelines stated that the school managing committee shall be responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the building on completion.
However, the KHNAM pointed out if the school does not have land it is impossible for the school managing committee to be responsible for maintenance, repairs and provision of boundary fencing.
The KHNAM alleged that the managing committee of the school, which was approved by the Sub-Divisional School Education Officer, is made up of members whose qualifications are well below the 10th standard with members having a minimum qualification of class III.
Further, the party alleged there are also criminal charges against a few members of the managing committee.
“It is saddening to know that the authority approved and entrusted management of school business in the hands of people whose qualification are inadequate and who have criminal charges pending against them,” KHNAM said in a memorandum to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui.
The KHNAM appealed to the Education Minister to conduct an inquiry in connection with the alleged misuse of public funds.
