Derecognition of Hyderabad school lands students in a quandary

Hyderabad: The decision of Telangana government to derecognise a school in Hyderabad after an uproar over the alleged sexual assault on a four-year-old girl has created uncertainty about the education of 700 children studying at the school.

The parents of these children were worried about their academics as the government proposes to shift them to other recognised schools.

District Education Officer (DEO), Hyderabad was holding meetings with the parents to allay their apprehensions. The parents have mooted the suggestion that instead of derecognising the school, the government set up a committee to run the institution at least for the current academic year.

Education minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy on Friday ordered the DEO to revoke the permission given to the school and accommodate the students in other schools of their choice in the jurisdiction.

Officials had said that students in the school in Banjara Hills would be shifted to the nearby schools taking the parents into confidence. The parents of each student would be requested to identify their choice of school in their vicinity so that officials could make the transfer arrangements.

The education department has asked the management to reimburse the fee paid by the students so that they can be accommodated in other schools.

However, the parents feel that shifting their wards to other schools will upset their academic schedule and they may find it difficult to adjust themselves in new schools.

The sexual assault on LKG student at the school located in Banjara Hills has triggered public outrage. The police on Tuesday arrested driver of the school principal and the next day took the principal into custody for negligence.

The incident came to light after the parents of the victim noticed behavioural changes in her. When enquired, she told them that Rajani Kumar had been sexually assaulting her for last three months. He used to take her from classroom to digital classroom. Sometime, the accused took her to inside room of the school, removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her.

The 34-year-old has been booked under section 376 A and B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 6 read with 5 (m) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Following the protest by victim’s parents and others, police arrested principal S. Madhavi. She has been booked her under section 21 POCSO for negligence.

The education minister on Friday also announced a committee of officials to recommend measures to the government to prevent such heinous crimes in schools.

Headed by the Education Secretary, the panel consists of officials from the Education Department, Women and Child Welfare Ministry, and a Deputy Inspector General rank officer working in the women safety wing of Telangana police.

The committee would be asked to submit its report within a week suggesting measures to ensure the safety of girl students. The minister said the government would formulate guidelines based on the report.