HYDERABAD: The Bachpan preschool situated in a residential area located at Malkajgiri that claimed the life of a two-and-a-half-year-old does not meet any fire safety precautions considering the size of the school. It has not been under vigil by Mandal Education Officer (MEO).A close look into the school premises and the management shows that it does not have any fire safety measures in place and has been converted from a housing building into a commercial playschool without even having proper permissions furnished to present to the education department upon arrival of the MEO.
“They do not have registration and permit letters to provide us in order to check its legality of functioning,” said R Srinivas, MEO, Malkajgiri. However, he also said that there were no inspections done considering the deficiency in human personnel examining the school.He further said, “We give Full Additional Charge to directors and headmasters of private schools to look after itself.” Meanwhile, locals allege that school management has in several cases been insensitive to children.
At the school, one of the two sumps has grains cereals and a water glass inside it indicative of the fact that the sump is frequently left open. The carpeted sumps are situated beside the entrance to a pre-primary class and play area. “There is no watchman in the school. Look at the kind of negligence the school shows towards its students,” shouted an angry protestant. “We did not know that the sump was open, otherwise we would have closed it,” said a helper who hid fearing an outrage from the protesters. The school management was not available for their response.