IMPHAL August 18: The second day and the concluding session of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights public hearing on Right to Education Act, child trafficking, child labor, disabilities and other child rights was conducted today at Kangla Hall, Imphal.
The two day public hearing concluded today on the note that several cases regarding infrastructure and maintenance on school systems had to be addressed by the concerned director of schools and other concerned officials.
The four member NCPCR team led by chairperson Shantha Sinha passed directives to the said director and other concerned officials after hearing the petitions of 24 separate petitions tendered to the commission.
Mention may be made of a case petitioned by five schoolchildren of Molnoi village, Chandel district. The case mentioned that Molnoi village aided Primary school has been functioning without adequate facilities such as free textbooks, uniforms, desks, benches, drinking water, toilet facilities and mid day meals. It mentioned that there is regular absence of teachers posted in the school. Two local youths have been hired to teach the students of the said school and the quality of education is hence very poor.
Deposing at the hearing, director (S), W Rajen Singh stated that the matter has been taken up and intimated to his subordinate officers. The concerned ZEO in the regard replied to the commission inquiry that he has not been at the village due to poor road communication.
Chairperson Shantha Sinha pressed the director and the ZEO that the matter was brought to the director’s notice in June last and nothing has been done to rectify the situation.
She blamed the department of gross ignorance and directed the concerned to tender the action taken report to the commission at the earliest.
It was also brought to the commission’s notice that the parents of the children were threatened from certain quarters for complaining against the school authorities.
Other petitions were brought up in regard to lack of teaching staff, mention may be made of Ithing Government Primary school,
Bishnupur having only one teacher who is also the head of the school. There are 66 children in the school including 36 girl students belonging to the economically weaker sections and only two classrooms are available. The director clarified that there is shortage of staff but the recent induction of 1423 teachers in the education department will be able to rectify the issue within a few days time.
Related cases of poor infrastructure of the physically handicapped students with complaints of inaccessibility to classrooms, toilets and admission charges taken by government schools were brought up with proof by the petitioners. The cases were heard by the commission and called for taking up necessary redressal from the concerned departments.
