This refers to the report that five girls were killed in a stampede, triggered by the alleged misbehaviour of some boys (Sept. 11), in a school in New Delhi. The government should take a serious note of the conditions in the government schools across the country. The unfortunate incident is reported to have happened because of rainwater that entered the school building and the chaos that followed. Announcing compensation and offering sympathy are not enough. Concrete measures should be taken to put in place a proper infrastructure.
N. Nagarajan,
Secunderabad
***
The incident, allegedly triggered by the misbehaviour of some boys, is shocking. The management of the government senior secondary school is obviously to blame for not curbing such behaviour on the campus.
H.P. Murali,
Bangalore
***
Schools should build broad staircases so that there is enough space to exit in case of emergencies. Surveillance cameras should be installed to monitor student activities, and fire alarms made compulsory in all schools.
V. Douglas Kirpa Raja,
Coimbatore
***
Scrapping the X standard board examination may be part of the UPA government’s education reform agenda. What about the highly congested classrooms and buildings in government schools? Does the government have any plans to address the problem? The tragedy in the senior secondary school in Delhi not only exposes the pathetic infrastructure in government schools but also brings to light unsocial activity such as eve-teasing. School is the second most important institution for a child after home. How can parents send their children to school in such an unsafe environment?
Dheeraj Pandey,
Ghaziabad
***
That the girls panicked and ran helter-skelter because some boys allegedly tried to misbehave with them speaks volumes about the school’s poor administration. In co-education schools, the staff must work to ensure discipline. Teachers dealing with adolescents, in particular, should help to make the campuses safe.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet
