School gets notice for cutting hair of children

Report sought from Education department

The education department of Karnataka has served a notice on the school in Nandini Layout here seeking explanation for the alleged cutting tufts of hair of children who came under the Right to Education (RTE) quota for underprivileged children in a bid to distinguish them from the rest.

Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Bangalore North, Chandraiah, said they went for an inspection of the school but found it shut, as the school, a member of the Karnataka Unaided School Managements Association (Kusma), was on strike till Wednesday demanding clarification on issues related to RTE.

No discrimination, says Principal

The school authorities were unavailable for comment on Wednesday too. However, in an interview to a Kannada television channel, Principal of the school Ajith Prabhu said the incident could have taken place by accident inside a crafts class where children were given scissors. He claimed it had nothing to do with RTE admissions and did not involve any kind of discrimination.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has written to the Education department to investigate the matter and revert to them at the earliest.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri has said he will ensure “severe legal action” against the school if reports confirm such behaviour.

Reacting to the episode on the sidelines of a function here, the former Lokayukta, N. Santosh Hegde, said: “If it is true, and I have yet to see if the factual part of the story is correct, then it is an inhumane act. It would have scarred the children for life, if I may say so. The government should take action against those responsible for this crime. Furthermore, if you have a grievance against the system, don’t take it out on the beneficiaries of the system, address your concerns to the administrators.”