The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. Tanishq Jaiswal has learnt it the harsh way. For no fault of his, the boy is being denied education. His only fault is that he has contracted diabetes at an early age.
St. Paul’s High School, Hyderguda, where he is studying fourth class, has served marching orders on the nine-year-old kid. The school authorities have asked his parents to seek a Transfer Certificate (TC) and take the boy out of the school within a week. Tanishq has been taking insulin injections during the lunch break for the last one year. But now the school management feels enough is enough and has asked the parents to withdraw their child at the earliest. The boy’s parents are already upset at their son falling prey to diabetes. But the stubborn attitude of the school has shattered their peace of mind and shocked them beyond words. “Diabetes is not a disease, much less infectious. Moreover, our son has been taking the insulin injection on his own without causing disturbance to anyone. How can the school remove him?” asks Neeraj Jaiswal and his wife, Vaishali Jaiswal.
The world of the working couple came crashing down when their son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in April 2012. An insulin-dependent diabetes, it occurs when the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin to control the body’s sugar level. It is not hereditary, but could be triggered by environmental factors, doctors feel. The number of children affected with Type I diabetes is said to be on the rise.
Insulin shots
Right now Tanishq is under the treatment of endocrinologist Dr. Bipin K Sethi. He has learnt to take four insulin shots everyday, one in school, on his own. “My son has never poked the syringe at any other child or created nuisance as the authorities fear,” says Ms. Vaishali in a choked voice. A teacher herself at the Azra Public School, she is worried about the psychological effect of all this on her child.
Last year itself, school principal Bro. Sudhakar Reddy reportedly objected to Tanishq taking insulin injections in the classroom. But a Good Samaritan teacher intervened and the boy stayed put. But two days ago the principal called the parents and told them to take away their child. “Worse, he asked us to pay the fee for the entire year as well,” Mr. Neeraj said. The principal was not available for comment.
Interestingly, despite his diabetic condition, Tanishq is regular to the school with 98 per cent attendance. His academic record is also equally good. Penalising a kid for what? For getting an ailment he has no control on?
