Right to education| For discriminating against a child, a notice was issued to a private school in Delhi

Right to education| For discriminating against a child, a notice was issued to a private school in Delhi

A private school received a notice from the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) for not allowing a child to attend the classes in the school and discriminating against him. The child in question was admitted under the economically weaker section/disadvantaged (EWS/DG) category and DCPCR has asked the school manager and principal to explain their actions against the child. The student studies in class VIII and father of the child wrote to DCPCR that school is not allowing his child to attend the classes. “Since April 2, my child has not gone to school as the bus driver refused to take him. I also went to the school and waited for two-and-a-half hours. Officials did not meet me, and later asked me to pay Rs 15,000,” said the father. The father further said that in 2016-17 he was forced to pay INR 14000 just to get his child’s report card. However, the school claims that the child was not enrolled in the EWS category. “The child is not admitted under the EWS/DG category. The parent has not been paying the fee, though we have sent several reminders. What can the school do when the fee has not been paid?” said Ruchika, an official in the school administration. DCPCR member Anurag Kundu said, “The school has been contesting that he has been admitted under EWS, but I have seen certificates of the parents availing the benefits. We will send summons to the school to come with records, which we can verify.” The child’s father, who sells vegetables, said, “Let the school show documents that he has been admitted under the general category. I have submitted my income certificate. My child is a national science olympiadzonal champion. The school has threatened him so much that he cries every morning.”