In a reversal of roles, officials dutifully put pen to paper and took notes, while over a hundred students from government and private schools across the city spoke about the problems and challenges in the education system. The interaction at the Vikasa Soudha marked the Universal Children’s Day which was observed on Sunday.
Umme Hani, a class 8 student from the Government Urdu High School, Ramachandrapura, complained that the midday meals provided to them by a non-governmental organisation was too “hard” to eat. Another student brought up the issue of rising school fees.Students threw a volley of questions that were fielded by officials of departments such as Public Instruction, Labour, and Police. Basavaraj S., a student of a government high school at Hebbal, asked why those from “rich” families were reaping the benefits of the Right to Education Act quota. Others raised the problem of poor infrastructure in government schools. A few officials squirmed in their seats when perceptive students asked them why they sent their children to private schools. Chandrashekar K., a class 9 student of a government school at Jugganahalli, said it was “scary” for young students and children to walk around in Peenya as the “older boys” in the locality would rob them or harass the girls.
Sonia Narang, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, urged him to go to the police station. “How many times ma’am?” said the teenager. The officer said she would cross-check the information.
Kripa Amar Alva, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, who organised the event, said there was need for various departments to step up their measures and coordinate with one another to protect the interests of children.
