PALAKKAD: Thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the education department, an injury to the right eye of a five-year-old has led to the suspension of grade-one classes at a government lower primary school in Palakkad since July 4.
The student of Ambattupalayam GLP School was injured in a fall in the institution, and according to parents the class teacher neither informed them of the incident nor made arrangements for the treatment to the child. It was around 4pm, nearly five hours after the incident, that some teachers took the child to a nearby hospital after noticing a swollen eye.
“The issue was discussed at large in the WhatsApp group for students, parents and teachers of class one. When the boy’s parents visited the school the very next day, the class teacher’s parents, who were also present, intervened. According to the teacher and her parents, it is the responsibility of parents to take care of their own kids and teachers are not responsible for injuries suffered during school time,” a parent told TNIE.
When contacted, school authorities admitted to the incident. A group of parents wrote to the office of the assistant education officer (AEO) in Chittur the same day and decided not to send their wards to the school until proper action was taken in the matter.
“It has been 10 days since and there has been no action on the part of the education department. On Friday, we met the Palakkad district collector, who asked the deputy director of education to immediately intervene in the matter,” a parent said.
A petition signed by all parents of first-standard students was also sent to the collector, DDE and AEO.
A source in the AEO’s office said officials conducted a preliminary inquiry and the findings were submitted to the DDE’s office. “The DDE will visit the school on Wednesday and take appropriate action,” the source said.
Nevertheless, parents have decided to hold a protest march to the school on July 15. The children will also accompany them. Chittur police was approached on Saturday for permission. “It is about the safety of our children. It cannot be compromised,” a parent said.