Parents in Kumbalappara tribal hamlet off the Government Seed Garden Complex at Munderi in Pothukal grama panchayat near Nilambur are up in arms against the officials of the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) for not admitting their children at a tribal hostel of their choice.
The parents want their children to be admitted to the Tribal Pre-Metric Hostel at Nettikulam. However, the ITDP officials insist that the children of Kumbalappara be admitted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Model Residential School (IGMMRS) at Veliyamthode, Nilambur.
CWC sitting
The parents, led by Chemban and Matha from Kumbalappara, raised a banner of protest in front of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) when it held a sitting at Manjeri on Wednesday.
After hearing their complaint, CWC Chairman Shajesh Bhaskar asked the Child Development Programme Officer, IGMMRS officials and the ITDP officials to appear before the CWC on Monday next.
Mr. Bhaskar has also sought a detailed report from them about the issue.
Mr. Bhaskar said that denying the tribal children admission to a residential school of their choice without a valid reason would amount to a violation of the Right to Education Act of 2009.
The parents complained of several instances of child rights violation at IGMMR, Nilambur. “We don’t want our children to go to IGMMR. We will rather not have them study at all than joining IGMMR. Our children have had bitter experience from there,” said Chemban and Matha.
“Given the nature of complaint and the preliminary assessment of the situation, what we need is an immediate intervention in the matter. The situation is serious. It involves not only the education of a
large number of children, but also the protection of their rights,” said Mr. Bhaskar.
