Can we call it development or growth when a newly rebuilt school will be demolished to make room for the construction of a central business district?

To improve the condition of this old primary school, the local district government in the city of Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province, invested 15 million yuan ($2.2 million). The new school now has more than 30 classrooms and other modern teaching facilities. Beside the building is a huge sports park. On Sept 9, 2008, a grand ceremony was held to inaugurate the use of the new building. The construction of the sports ground and other facilities were completed in September last year, when the local government made the decision that the school would soon be demolished.

This case is typical of the visionless urban planning and waste of resources by some local governments.

This primary school has a history of more than 100 years but its building was too old and likely to fall apart at any time. Deputies from the local people's congress appealed to the local government time and again for its renovation. Finally, the local district government made the decision and allocated 15 million yuan. The old building was demolished and a new one was erected.

What is peculiar about the case is the fact that renovation of the building had been approved by the urban planning department of the city government, which should have known well about the overall planning of the city. The construction of a central business district is a massive project involving billions of yuan and should have been included in the city's five- or 10-year plan.

If that were the case, dereliction of duty would likely have been involved on the decision to renovate the school. There might have been corruption behind it. A school built with an investment of 15 million yuan being demolished in less than two years will easily cover up any dirty deal.

If anything, any government department or leader should never be allowed to get away with such irresponsible decisions that waste taxpayers' money. The local government needs to explain how the decision was made to renovate the school and how the plan was made to build the central business district.

It would be a crime for local authorities to deliberately approve the school renovation with the knowledge that another construction project would be built on the same location.

As being stipulated by regulations on the disclosure of government information, important information concerning the well-being of residents must be made known to the public. It is a huge undertaking to demolish a school for students and residents living in the vicinity.

Residents have the right to be informed of what will disrupt their normal lives. And their voices should be heard on the fate of the school. Why can't the school be kept within the central business district?

A thorough investigation is needed. And so is a plausible explanation from city authorities. If the school has to be demolished, someone must be held accountable for wasting taxpayers' money.