The School Education Department and Board of Intermediate Education on Sunday cancelled all excursions in Anantapur district with two bus accidents being reported in as many days involving schoolchildren from the Government Boys’ High School at Kadiri and Vikas Model School in Anantapur.
Regional Joint Director (School Education) M. Venkatakrishna Reddy and his Intermediate counterpart Karanam Chandrasekhar Rao told The Hindu that they have banned all proposals of excursions involving students from Anantapur schools and junior colleges with immediate effect.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, meanwhile, sanctioned ₹5 lakh compensation to Basha Fakruddin’s parents following his death in an accident in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka on Friday night.
Inquiry ordered
Eight students are still undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital in Udupi, with officials from the School Education Department rendering assistance. The RJD said that in the Kadiri school incident, while permission was taken only for Class IX students, the teachers had taken students from Classes VIII and X as well. Also, instead of booking only APSRTC buses, teachers from Vikas Model School and Kadiri Government School had booked private buses which is against the rules.
In another case, a school from Gorantla went ahead with an excursion despite not being accorded permission to do so. Students were taken to Chennai and they are yet to return, sources said.
In the Kadiri incident, there was only one bus driver instead of two. He was also driving in an inebriated condition, according to initial reports. An inquiry is in progress into the Palamaner accident too.
Through a teleconference, all Mandal Education Officers, Headmasters and Deputy DEOs have been asked to focus on academics and not plan any excursion as of now.
Naadu Nedu
While 1,236 schools in Anantapur district are eligible for upgradation under Naadu Nedu scheme, estimates for work have been generated only for 1,000 schools by four executing agencies including PR Engineering, SSA Engineering, and Public Health Engineering wing. All sanctions need to be taken before January 10, but resolutions from Parents’ Committees have not been obtained from 800 out of 1,000 schools for which estimates were generated.
