The case of the three-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted in her Jalahalli school appears to have taken a backseat with irregularities the institution indulged in coming to fore.
When Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi met with anxious, irate parents of students studying in the school on Saturday, the sexual abuse case was overshadowed by questions about the future of the school. The excuse of “being new to the office” by Block Education Officer Basavaraj Gowda, who was the only representative from the Education Department, did not cut ice with the parents.
Mr. Reddi was bombarded with questions about the future of classes that were started without requisite permission, despite him mentioning that it was out of his jurisdiction.
Though Mr. Reddi told the parents that there was “80 per cent compliance” of security measures and classes could reopen on Monday, K. Ananda, Director of Public Instruction (Primary Education), said classes 1 to 5, which had requisite permission, would start on the day.
“They said they will let us know about pre-primary classes and classes above fifth standard in three days,” Bhagyashree Rai, parent of a Class 2 student, said. She said there was no clarity on which syllabus would be taught to the students as it emerged that the school had applied to the Central Board of Secondary Education only recently.
Another parent said, “The BEO said the school can request for permission to run classes 5 to 7 and it will be approved in two or three days. How is that possible?”
