India, July 27 -- The death of seven children during the collapse of a government school in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district should serve as a painful reminder of the decrepit infrastructure that often characterises government-run schools in many parts of India. The failure to release funds earmarked in the state budget for 2,710 schools identified by the education department as needing repairs makes this a crime of omission. Against this backdrop, state school education minister Madan Dilawar's remark that the money for repairs can't come from him is not merely insensitive but downright offensive.

A state where government school enrolment among 6-14-year-olds stands at close to 60% (according to Pratham's Annual Status of Education Report ...