Bhubaneswar, May 7: Government school premises can no longer be used for non-educational activities. This decision was taken at a joint review meeting by the school and mass education department.

“There had been regular complaints of schools being used for purposes other than education, especially in rural pockets. School premises were being used for accommodating opera and theatre parties, holding camps and also for feasts and village functions,” said a senior official in the department.

“These events have, over a period of time, damaged the campus. Careless use of the infrastructure leaves the premises spoilt and dirty and no one cleans it up. The aesthetics of the campus is ruined in the process. From now on, there will be no such programmes on the premises,” the official said.

For special cases, prior permission has to be sought from competent authorities. This includes using the premises by paramilitary forces.

Similarly, the department has decided that the headmasters cannot suspend classes on their own will.

“It was seen that headmasters, especially in remote areas, would suspend schools citing petty reasons. Anything from low attendance to absence of teachers would be shown as a reason. From now on, no classes of any schools — elementary and secondary — can been suspended without prior permission of the concerned CI or DI of schools,” the official said.

For supply of bicycles to students, the student strength of each school as on April 30 has been sought. Teachers have been asked to help students open a zero balance account in nationalised banks in a campaign mode. This account is to be preferably operated by the mother of the child and the entire process is to be completed by August 15.

Circle-inspector of schools, district-inspector of schools, district project coordinators of Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and heads of teacher training institutes across the state, who attended the meeting, have been instructed to ensure that school uniforms reach students latest by October 31 and text books by May 31. Painting of the outer walls of schools following the “Ama Vidyalaya” programme, has to be completed before the rains.