State govt bans students’ participation in VIP rallies
Schools have been asked not to rope in students for ceremonies and rallies to welcome VIPs in Orissa. Passing a resolution, the School and Mass Education department of the government of Orissa says: “School children will not be made to wait for hours to receive a celebrity during function. VIP duties for school children are over.”
Issuing a missive to all the schools on April 24, 2010, the state government asked them to implement the orders as soon as possible. From now onwards student need not entertain VIPs visiting their areas.
Of late, it had become a common practice to use school children to welcome guests in both public and private functions. Several child organisations raised the issue and mounted pressure on the government to take action against it. Sources say after being inundated with complaints, Minister of State for School and Mass Education Pratap Jena banned the use of school children for such functions. The minister’s office instructed all the district collectors, district inspectors of schools and circle inspectors to end the misuse of school children.
Joint secretary to School and Mass Education department, Government of Orissa, Iswar Ch. Barada told TSI: “We received several complaints from different organisations and parent bodies. They complained that children were suffering because they were forced to participate in events to honour VIPs. We understand that many a time they have to wait for long hours even under the sun. There have been some cases in which students fainted due to unbearable heat. Therefore we have decided to ban such a practice.”
However, many educationists are unhappy with the government’s decision. Dr. Ganeswar Mishra, an educationist and a retired professor of Utkal University, is one of them. He argues that there is nothing wrong in making students participate in such events. “Receiving a VIP is not a bad idea. It cannot be called violation of child’s right. Such ceremonies give children an opportunity to interact with eminent personalities,” says Dr. Mishra.
But he agrees with the critics of the practice that students should not be made to stand for hours to welcome a VIP.
Schools have been asked not to rope in students for ceremonies and rallies to welcome VIPs in Orissa. Passing a resolution, the School and Mass Education department of the government of Orissa says: “School children will not be made to wait for hours to receive a celebrity during function. VIP duties for school children are over.”
Issuing a missive to all the schools on April 24, 2010, the state government asked them to implement the orders as soon as possible. From now onwards student need not entertain VIPs visiting their areas.
Of late, it had become a common practice to use school children to welcome guests in both public and private functions. Several child organisations raised the issue and mounted pressure on the government to take action against it. Sources say after being inundated with complaints, Minister of State for School and Mass Education Pratap Jena banned the use of school children for such functions. The minister’s office instructed all the district collectors, district inspectors of schools and circle inspectors to end the misuse of school children.
Joint secretary to School and Mass Education department, Government of Orissa, Iswar Ch. Barada told TSI: “We received several complaints from different organisations and parent bodies. They complained that children were suffering because they were forced to participate in events to honour VIPs. We understand that many a time they have to wait for long hours even under the sun. There have been some cases in which students fainted due to unbearable heat. Therefore we have decided to ban such a practice.”
However, many educationists are unhappy with the government’s decision. Dr. Ganeswar Mishra, an educationist and a retired professor of Utkal University, is one of them. He argues that there is nothing wrong in making students participate in such events. “Receiving a VIP is not a bad idea. It cannot be called violation of child’s right. Such ceremonies give children an opportunity to interact with eminent personalities,” says Dr. Mishra.
But he agrees with the critics of the practice that students should not be made to stand for hours to welcome a VIP.
Read these article :-
No comments:
Post a Comment