KOZHIKODE: Hopes soar for Muhammed Asim, a differently-abled boy from Velimanna in Kozhikode, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office directing the Union Human Resource Development Ministry to take appropriate action to help the boy continue his education.
Thirteen-year-old Asim, who has 90 per cent disability, has been waging a spirited battle for the past one-and-a-half years seeking to upgrade his upper primary school to a high school for himself and several other students from the region. Asim completed Class VII from Government Upper Primary School, Velimanna, in March 2018.
Noushad Thekkayil, a human rights activist, had sent an online petition to the Prime Minister in the second week of February, seeking his immediate intervention in the issue. In his petition, Noushad pointed out Asim was in no state to attend the nearest school which is 5 km away and thus is deprived of the Right to Education guaranteed under Article 21-A of the Constitution and the Right to Education Act, 2009.
Following the PMO’s instructions, the Ministry of Human Resource Development directed the Secretary, General Education Department, to take appropriate action to address his issue immediately.
“We are really happy the PM’s office has intervened in the matter. We are yet to receive any official communication from the State General Education Department. We hope he will be able to go to school at least in the next academic year,” said Asim’s father Muhammed Saeed. Asim is on a 24-day-long yatra on his wheelchair to protest against the state government for turning down his plea.