Several parents were smiling on Monday morning when they saw the notice board outside St. Ann’s High School in Rajajinagar. The names of the children had been re-shuffled and they were put in different sections.
The Hindu on Saturday had reported that the school has discriminated against students admitted under the RTE quota by putting them in a separate section (D section) and distinguishing them from regular students.
A parent of a child admitted under RTE, who was seen in front of the notice board, said, “My son is now in section B. I am glad that he would not be recognised as an RTE child. It is a huge relief for me.”
Another visibly thrilled parent said that he was “scared” of approaching the school management as he did not want his children’s academic prospects to be affected. A school representative said that the decision was taken based on the directions of Education Department officials.
Although the school management and the parents had said that the children were segregated, the report by the Block Education Officer and Deputy Director of Public Instruction has said that no “discrimination” had taken place and the school was only conducting a “bridge” course.
Another school
Another school has come under the scanner for segregating students admitted under the RTE quota. Nagasimha G. Rao, convener of the RTE Task Force, said that a complaint has been lodged with the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and there is a need for the Education Department to intervene.
