6,800 children in Andhra lost one or both parents due to Covid
VIJAYAWADA: A total of 6,800 children in Andhra Pradesh have lost one of their parents or both due to Covid-19. The details of 4,333 such children have been collected so far and of them 1,659 are studying in government schools and colleges, while 2,150 are students of private educational institutions. The remaining 524 are infants.
Releasing the details of children who lost their parents due to Covid-19, the school education department on Thursday said no private educational institution should remove the name of a student from the register on the pretext that he or she failed to pay the fee.
“Severe action will be taken against the management if it came to our notice that any student’s name was removed from the school register for failing to pay the fee,’’ said Director of School Education V Chinna Veerabhadrudu.
The instructions came in the wake of Supreme Court directions to the State governments to ensure that children who lost their parents due to Covid, studying either in government or private institutions, should be allowed to continue studies.
The SC has also directed the governments to provide free school admission to those children, who were enrolled in schools and forced to discontinue their studies after March, 2020. The school education department has asked all schools and junior colleges to identify students who have lost both of their parents or any of them and let them continue in the institution where they are studying.
All students in government schools should be given three pairs of uniforms, textbooks and notebooks, school bag, shoes, socks, belt and a dictionary by August 31.
The private school managements have been asked to provide information related to the expenditure to be incurred by them to provide uniforms and books to the school education department and it will bear it. The management should inform any grievances of such children to the authorities. The managements have been asked to mail queries and suggestions to balswarajap@gmail.com.
Directive of Supreme Court
The SC has directed the State governments to provide free school admission to orphaned children, enrolled in schools and forced to discontinue studies after March, 2020.