Hindustan Times: New Delhi: Wednesday,
May 18, 2016.
Of the 300-odd
grievances of urgency in government schools during the 2014-15 academic year
such as denial of admission and corporal punishment, not one was disposed of
within the stipulated time of 15 days.
A directorate
of education (DoE) circular says that grievances of urgency should be decided
within 15 days.
Parents,
students and NGOs filed 543 cases between April 2014 and March 2015. Of these,
241 cases relate to admission in government schools, aided schools as well as
also admission under the Economically Weaker Section category in private
schools.
Most of these
cases took up to two months to be disposed of, shows DoE’s response to an RTI
filed by NGO Pardarshita.
Other cases
of urgency include complaints of corporal punishment, harassment and violence.
There were 10 such cases against teachers. They all took over two months to be
disposed of.
The Right to
Education Act stipulates three months for DoE to sort out grievances related to
the Act. However, disposal time has been over here months in cases related to
the quality of mid-day meals, lack of teachers, infrastructure and facility for
disabled.
Further, in
none of the 543 cases were both parties heard out.
The rule says
a three-member committee comprising district deputy director of education
(DDE), education officer of the zone concerned and an assistant director of
education or an equivalent officer should hold hearings and meetings.
“In all the
543 cases, we have seen that the complainant has not been given a chance to be
heard. A letter of explanation was sought from the school and depending on
that, the matter was decided. This is against the principle of natural justice
and violates provision of RTE,” said NGO Pardarshita founder Rajiv Kumar.
A DoE
official, requesting anonymity, accepted that there was a delay in dealing with
the grievance, but a new system has been put in place. “With the new system
started by the government, we are trying our best to avoid delay. The new
system is also more transparent as it allows the complainant to check the
status of their complaint,” said a senior DoE official.
The law
allows the complainant to appeal against the decision at the Delhi Commission
for Protection of Child Rights.
The body has
been without staff for a year now.
AT A GLANCE
Grievances of
urgency such as admissions and corporal punishment to be settled within 15
days, as per DoE norms
241 cases
related to admissions
Most of them
cases took up to 2 months to be disposed of
10 cases of
corporal punishment, harassment and violence
All of them
took over 2 months to be disposed of
Complainants
in none of the 543 cases of grievances filed between April 2014 and March 2015
given hearing. Case settled on the basis of school’s explanation.
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