According to the bond, school management would not be held responsible if a student suffered — for example — a fatal injury on campus.
A classroom at the Coimbatore's GRD Public School, which is forcing parents to sign an indemnity bond. (GRD Public School official website)
Only days after a class 12 girl allegedly died by suicide in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi, a private school in Coimbatore has sparked a row by forcing the parents of its students to sign an indemnity bond that indemnified it from any responsibility in the case of a mishap on the school premises.
The practice by GRD Public School came to light after the guardians of students shared a copy of the bond with reporters on Monday, 25 July.
According to the bond, the management or teachers of the school could not be held responsible if a student suffered any loss or fatal injury while on campus.
“I undertake and agree that neither I nor my executor or administrators or other legal heirs, representatives will make any claim against the GRDPS or any person of the school, in respect of any loss or injury to property or the person (the minor student) including a fatal wound, which the said minor may suffer while in the custody of the school. I understand and agree that no compensation will be paid by the school or any person or any employee of the school, [sic]” read the bond, accessed by South First.
The indemnity bond that the GRD Public School in Coimbatore is making the parents of its students sign. (Supplied)
Stating that the bond was irrelevant and unacceptable, Manoj Kumar (name changed), the father of a student from the school, told South First, “The school has asked parents to collect the transfer certificate of their child if they fail to sign the bond.”
He added: “We leave our children at school, trusting the staff and management would take care of them besides providing them education. It is the school’s responsibility to ensure the safety of our children when they are on campus. Who should we hold responsible if something happened to our child in school?”
The school management refused to comment on anything concerning the indemnity bond.
Tamil Nadu Students’ Parents’ Welfare Association members told South First that this step was initiated by the school management after the death of the Class 12 girl in the Kallukarichi school.
According to the association, they would lodge a complaint against the school with the state’s School Education Department soon.
Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer R Boopathy told South First that he had sought an explanation from the school’s management.
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