KOCHI: How safe are your kids at the nurseries and preschools that you drop them off to while you go to your offices? Last month, a 42-year-old man was arrested for molesting a two-and-half-year-old girl at Mulanthuruthy. As per the complaint filed by the child’s parents the arrested used to run a play school in the area and the incident took place when the child was waiting for her parents all alone at the play school. A similar complaint was filed at Eroor where a three-year-old girl was molested at her play school by the husband of the woman who runs the institution.
A nightmare that most working parents are faced with now a days is in which nursery or preschool to admit their child. With isolated incidents of molestations at privately run nursery schools coming to light, the parents are hoping that the authorities will look into the authenticity and safety of such institutions.
A large number of nursery schools are opened by homemakers as a pastime or to make some quick money. Speaking about such incidents Joshy C V, area secretary, Ernakulam District Resident’s Associations Apex Council(EDRAAC), Palarivattom says, “Yes, there are many nursery schools opening up here. There are also rumours that some of them mix cough syrup with food and feed it to the kids so that they remain asleep throughout the day. Spreading awareness about such issue will be good.”
“Since these are isolated incidents it has been never discussed by EDRAAC. For the same reason there are no rules to monitor the nursery schools coming up here. But it would be a good move to discuss this,” said P Rangadasa Prabhu, president, EDRAAC.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Right stated that there are no set rules to monitor the private nursery schools. “As per Right to Education, we are promoting preprimary education in aided sector. However there is no definite monitoring in private sector. We will consider and take this up for discussion and if we receive any complaints we will take action against such nursery schools as per the Commission for Protection of Child Right Act ,Section 13,” said K Nazeer, acting chairperson, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Right.