While the parents termed the move of shifting students elsewhere impractical, the school authorities said they have taken new safety measures.
Published Nov 07, 2022 | 7:56 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 07, 2022 | 8:15 PM
Students come out of the BSD DAV School on Monday, 7 November, 2022. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
More than two weeks after the Telangana government gave direction to cancel the recognition of the BSD DAV School in the Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad, it reopened on Monday, 7 November, amid new safety measures in place by the school authorities.
However, this appeared to be only temporary relief for the students of the school and their parents, with Telangana Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy telling South First that a government committee would evaluate the situation after two months. The school could be closed if the committee deemed that was the correct course of action.
The minister said the committee would involve parents of the school’s students, and take their recommendations into consideration while deciding on the school’s fate.
However, she told South First that she was happy that the school had reopened.
The school was allowed to reopen for the remainder of the current (2022-23) academic session after several parents approached the state government and requested it.
Parents outside the school told South First, “We requested the District Education Officer (DEO) to reopen the school. The government asked us to give a consent letter on whether the school should be reopened, and the majority of the parents gave their nod.”
The school hit the headlines due to the alleged three-month-long assault of a four-year-old girl by one Beemana Rajani Kumar — the driver of the school’s then-principal. Kumar was arrested on 18 October.
Children at the end of school hours. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
The next day, the police arrested the then-principal Sivaraju Madhavi, initially absconding, for failure to report or record the case.
Later, the DAV College Managing Committee terminated A Prathipan, the director of its Hyderabad-region schools.
“On 3 November, the school authorities held a meeting with the parents where they assured to take proper safety measures,” a parent told South First.
Meanwhile, Vasantha Raman, principal of the DAV Public School, Kukatpally is the new in-charge of the Banjara Hills branch.
The minister told South First that this happened after DAV officials flew down from Delhi and assured her and the parents that the school would have new management within a month.
South First paid a visit to the school to see what new changes have been made.
A few men were seen installing the new CCTV cameras on the school premises. The already-present CCTV cameras were apparently not functioning, due to which there was no footage that could be used as evidence in the case.
Man installing CCTV camera at the school. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
“A total of 42 new cameras will be installed. Earlier, there were 23 cameras, out of which many were not working,” a school official told South First.
He added that two teachers in charge of the victim’s class have also been terminated for their negligence.
The same fate is said to have befallen the previous security guards of the school.
About the licence for the next year’s session, the official said, “We plan to apply next month for the extension of a licence for the next year’s academic session to the DEO.”
As the school ended for the day, children were escorted out of the school premises by teachers and staff members, with loudspeaker announcements to guide them.
After cancelling the school’s licence, Sabitha Indira Reddy asked the officials to make arrangements for its students in nearby schools so that they did not lose a year.
Children outside the school after school hours. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
However, speaking to South First, most of the parents termed this move impractical.
“The state government’s school syllabus is entirely different. Our children are studying the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) syllabus. How will they cope up if they are shifted to other schools all of a sudden in the middle of an academic session?” an anxious parent asked South First.
Interestingly, although the BSD DAV School — which has more than 500 children enrolled till Class 7 — follows the CBSE pattern but is not affiliated with the board.
A school can run up to Class 8 on the approval of the State government’s education department unless it decides to offer secondary and senior-secondary classes, for which it requires an affiliation from the CBSE or other boards.
