Reopening of tainted school sparks outrage

Hyderabad: After a furore against the nerve-wrenching incident of sexual abuse of a minor girl last year, the re-opening of pre-primary section at Azaan International School in Toli Chowki irked the civil society groups who had already filed a case with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the management demanding total closure of the school in the interest of the public.

Speaking to media persons, Mujahed Mohiuddin Khudri, the BJP state worker and President of All India Anti Corruption Committee, said that even though the legal proceeding is pending against the school for the 'heinous crime' committed on its premises last year, the management has now reopened the pre-primary section cocking a snook at the judiciary. "With no strict enforcement of the law against such irresponsible managements, other schools would be encouraged to compromise with the safety and security of the students on their premises as a ramification," he said.

Mujahed, who filed a case with NHRC against the school management on October 11, 2018, said how the District Education Officer (DEO) could allow the school to re-open, that too, at a time when the case is sub judice. Permitting such schools to re-open after it was proved that they least bothered about the safety and security of the children would send a wrong message to the parents and also increase the risk for the school-going children, he contended.

No words, he said, could describe the pain and agony the parents of the victim have gone through after the incident. The government should at least keep invoking the ban on such managements that have least bother about the rules laid down to ensure the protection of children on their premises.

Meanwhile, the grandfather of the victim also questioned the functioning of the school and wondered as to how the authorities are winking at the serious issues concerned with children. " They have re-opened the school a few days ago, which was sealed by the authorities concerned after the incident.

Moreover, the school management neither paid any compensation nor undertook the rehabilitative measures they promised soon after the incident. We have made many complaints to the officials concerned against reopening of the school, even as the legal case is pending before the court," rued grandfather of the victim.

It may be mentioned here that last year on September 14, a four- year-old girl was raped on the school premises. Later, terming the incidents of sexual assault of two children on the school premises as a shameful act and taking the issue seriously, the Hyderabad High Court issued notices to the chairman and principal of Azaan International School. Besides, the Court has also directed the government officials concerned to respond on the issue of taking over the management of the school.

Mohammed Imam Tahseen, president of Hi-Tech Youth Association, said that until and unless the school management ensures severe punishment to the perpetrator and instils confidence among parents with proper measures to safeguard the pupil, it has no right to re-run the school. "It is the primary responsibility of the management to ensure that no such incidents recur in their purview.

It has to work on modalities on winning the confidence of the parents by ensuring all the security initiatives to safeguard children," he said. The Hans India tried to contact the school management to take their version, but there was no response from their side.