HYDERABAD: Concerned over the plight of nearly 150 children belonging to underprivileged families, whose schooling was affected as GHMC demolished Alfa School in Jubilee Hills, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) stepped in to solve the issue.
Even as the stand-off between the school authorities and the district education department continued, APSCPCR officials directed the district collector and district education officer to make necessary arrangements for the children to study in a nearby locality.
“After inspecting the school premises, we realised that it was built on the footpath near a broken Nala and it was not an ideal place for children to study. Therefore, we directed the education department to construct a new school in a nearby location to facilitate the students,” said Achyutarao, member of APSCPCR.
While Alfa school has been offering primary education to children from underprivileged families free of cost for the last 14 years, APSCPCR officials revealed that it was not so a rosy picture as projected.
“Upon inspecting the school, we realised that there were several discrepancies in the functioning fo the institution within the school. On many occasions, children were made to continue study in the same class for unknown reasons. The qualifications of the teaching staff was also not up to the specifications. Therefore, we directed the government officials to provide a new school with qualified teachers. We also asked them to arrange transport for the children,” Achyutarao explained.
It was found that around 200 children in the area have not been enrolled in schools and APSCPCR officials are determined to provide them proper education. Until a new school is built, The officials were directed to ensure that the children are taken to a nearby school (government or private). They said that conducting classes on the streets as threatened by Alfa school was unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Shobha Rani, founder and principal of Alfa School lashed out at the authorities for forcibly taking the children away from the streets while they were studying.
“After filing a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission, we decided to hold classes on streets. However, the authorities came and forcibly removed the children from the premises,” Shobha Rani said.