It is absolutely terrifying that 51 anganwadis in Ernakulam are still operating without basic fitness certificates. We are talking about the safety of our youngest children! The authorities are blaming the delay on a lack of assistant engineers due to transfers and postings, but that is a pathetic excuse when lives are at stake. Look at what happened in Karumaloor recently, a cobra was literally found inside an almirah because of a broken window pane! If a snake can get in, what else is being overlooked? Many of these centers don't even have their own buildings and are stuck in low-rent, dilapidated spaces because the government won't pay market rates in cities like Kochi. We need to stop treating early childhood education like an afterthought. Safety certificates should be non-negotiable before the academic year even begins, not something we wait for months to resolve while hoping no one gets hurt. #parenting #safety #governance