RTE kids bear brunt at school
For city schools reluctant to implement the Right to Education Act, no ploy to undercut it seems too low to attempt. Newly admitted underprivileged students are now targets.
Five children admitted under the RTE to Oxford Indian School in Nandini Layout had tufts of their hair cut off by fellow students in an attempt to humiliate them — allegedly under instructions from teachers. Several underprivileged children admitted by the school this academic year have also alleged that they are not being allowed to sit in the front rows in class, nor are they allowed to mingle with their well-heeled classmates.
While school authorities have denied the allegations, a preliminary report by a committee headed by the deputy director of public instruction (DDPI), Bengaluru North, confirms the charges of discrimination against the children, although it is silent on the haircut issue.
The private schools managements association, too, says the school had nothing to do with the incident, claiming that it was the result of a fight between students during a craft class. The organising secretary of the Karnataka State Private Schools Management Federation, D. Shashi Kumar, said the issue was being blown out of proportion.
“The federation has spoken to representatives from the school. The haircut incident was the result of a fight between students during a craft class. The RTE angle is being unnecessarily bandied about.” Police said they cannot act in the matter unless they receive a complaint, but the parents of the underprivileged children involved are reluctant to complain.
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