KOCHI: On Monday, when the Class X CBSE students all over the country wrote the first paper of the board examinations, 29 students of Arooja Little Star School at Mattancherry were left gazing vacantly at the walls of their classrooms, as their school was not recognised by the board.
These students fell prey to the deviousness of the management of their own school. Their applications were rejected by the CBSE since the school didn't have the recognition to conduct Classes IX and X.
According to Antony M K, a parent, the children are very dejected. "Just try to put yourselves in their shoes. Imagine the heartburn they are feeling when all the other children of their age are appearing for the exams while their future has been jeopardized," he said. The children all are suffering, he added.
"We all came to school. What else can we do? How do we console our children? We don't know what to do?" he rued. According to Mary Grace, another parent, three students have been hospitalised!
"The children were all ready to write the exams and nearly a good number were expecting to get A+ grades. But now all that lies in shambles," she said. According to her, the students are being given counselling by the Childline officials. "The officials have been at the school and have assured to take up the issue. Do you know all these children are very good in their studies?" she said.
"The children had prepared well for the exams. They had even gotten their uniforms and other stationary ready. But alas, the school authorities' deviousness spelt doom for the students," she said. According to her, the Childline officials will be registering a case against the school for harming the future of the students. "If only the school had notified us about the issue at least two weeks prior," said Mary.
Mary said, "Though the Childline officials will be counselling the students so as to prevent the children from taking any extreme steps, the parents too are mulling getting their kids to receive help from the psychologists." These are tough times for our kids, she added. The Childline will also be investigating whether the students will be able to write exams next year without having to repeat both IX and X, said Mary.
Childline moves court for re-examination
Meanwhile, the Childline officials have approached the High Court through District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and have also sought the help of Kerala Legal Service Authority (KeLSA) seeking a directive to conduct reexamination for the 29 students. "The aim is to save their one year. Only the High Court can help the kids. This is not the case of a single child, the future of 29 students are at stake," said Reshmi Mampillu, Childline coordinator.
According to her, the parents are demanding the closure of the school. "They are also filing a mass petition before the HC. We have also notified the Child Rights Commission and the Child Welfare Committee," she said.