All Schools in Odisha to Complete Safety Audits Before September

Odisha has ordered all eligible schools to complete structural and non-structural safety audits by the end of August, with district education authorities asked to ensure that identified safety gaps are taken up for immediate action.

The exercise forms part of the ‘School Safety Observation Week – 2026-27’, being observed across schools this month amid the ongoing monsoon and concerns over schoolchildren’s safety, particularly in districts affected by heavy rain.

As reported by The New Indian Express, the audits are only one part of the exercise. Schools have been asked to clean their campuses, hold meetings of School Safety Advisory Committees, prepare School Safety and Disaster Management Plans, conduct mock drills and fire and electrical safety checks, and obtain fire safety certificates.

They will also have to check the safe storage of inflammable and toxic materials, keep toilets and hand-washing facilities functional, maintain first-aid boxes and conduct health check-ups. Emergency bells or public-address systems are to be installed where required, while fencing and toilet doors must be repaired and child-friendly latches installed. Parent and community engagement has also been included.

Each school will adopt a School Safety Resolution recording infrastructure deficiencies and other safety concerns. Problems requiring government intervention will be reported to the Block Education Officer (BEO) or District Education Officer (DEO) for immediate action.

The government has clarified that activities already completed after schools reopened do not have to be repeated. Structural safety audits have already been carried out in some districts with assistance from technical agencies.

In districts where the audits are still pending, DEOs will be responsible for completing both structural and non-structural assessments in all eligible schools in accordance with state government and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines.

The directive was issued by OSEPA State Project Director Ananya Das to all district collectors. The observation week is being conducted during the current academic year as part of the observations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which has called on states and Union Territories to conduct school safety audits based on its manual on safety and security in schools and guidelines fixing accountability for ensuring the safety of children.