A school whose practice defies its lofty ideals

The institution makes children clean toilets, mop up staff room

This special residential school for deprived children at Talaghattapura in the City was meant to be an example of “inclusive education”. Ironically, it has turned into a reinforcement of discrimination.

Located in the premises of the government school, the hostel (for boys and girls) has about 60 students. It is the only such hostel in the City managed by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Eleven other hostels of SSA are run by NGOs.

When this reporter visited the hostel, teachers were asking students to mop up the staff room and sweep the premises ahead of the school assembly. The discrimination against these students begins in the smallest of tasks. Students at the hostel told this newspaper how they were made to do chores other day scholars were exempted from.

The school has more than 300 day scholars apart from those staying on the campus.
“We have to clean the toilets. Other students are never asked to do it. There are just five toilets for all of us put together,” Spandana (name changed) complained. “Children who come during the day dirty the place and we get blamed for not maintaining the toilets.”
The students also complained how the staff use foul language agains them.

Not comfortable

“They always tell us that we are staying here for free. We do not feel comfortable here at all,” said another boy. The children said most of them hailed from north Karnataka where their parents worked as labourers.

The students also said they were expected to look “as neat as other students” but were given a tiny bar of soap that should last an entire month. “We are scared that if the soap crumbles, we will not look neat like the rest of them,” Harsha (name changed) said. “They always say we spoil the atmosphere for the rest of the students.”

The television set at the hostel had been missing for an entire year. The students alleged the teachers took it home. The school has been given nine computers which are all locked in a room.

‘Better facilities’

When asked, school principal Arase Gowda said the computers could not be used as there were no teachers. He maintained the hostel students were provided better facilities compared with others. On his part, he said he was unable to take classes, look after hostel students and do all the administrative work.

“The government has not appointed any staff to take care of the hostel children. It is impossible for one person to manage all these tasks.”

Despite being managed by the SSA, the school depends on donors for many facilities. The government provides it fabric for uniforms but the stitching costs are higher. For white-colour uniform, it has to depend on donors. Same is the case with shoes. Not all students have school bags.

Things to do

The SSA Deputy Project Coordinator, Kodandaramaiah, told Deccan Herald he also inspected the school recently and identified the areas that need improvement. “We have sent them a memo. From installing bulbs to maintaining hygiene, I have given them a list of things to take care of,” he said.

Nagasimha G Rao of Child Rights, an NGO, said teachers should treat the children as their own. “The problem would persist as long as the government burdens teachers with looking after the children. These teachers are not adequately sensitised towards their problems,” he added.