A parent of a UKG student enrolled in a private school under the RTE quota has alleged that the management urged them to take a transfer certificate because they are not happy with the performance of the child in tests.
The parents approached the RTE Students' and Parents' Association on Tuesday who filed a complaint with the jurisdictional Block Education Officer alleging harassment of the child.
Speaking to The Hindu , the boy’s mother said, “They are saying that my child is not coping up like the other children. But my child was ill and missed classes for several days. Despite that, he has scored C+, which the school is saying is low.”
After she argued with the school authorities, they asked that her son take another test to resolve the dispute. “If he does not do well in the test, they said that he will be given a transfer certificate. I will have to look for another school. We do not have the means to admit our child in another school,” she said.
Experts point out that this is a violation of several provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which states that no child should be detained until the completion of elementary education and no child should be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment.
It is the duty of the local authority to ensure that a child belonging to ‘weaker section and disadvantaged’ background is not discriminated against or prevented for completing elementary education.
B.N. Yogananda, General Secretary of the association, said that there is a need for officials to initiate action against the school management and ensure justice for the child and his family.
Block Education Officer North Range 1 Govinde Gowda said, “We have received a complaint against the school management. We will ensure that the school falls in line and the child continues in the same school.”
Despite repeated calls and text messages, the school management did not offer a comment.