Public hearing jury on RTE flays govt men

Thiruvananthapuram: The jury of the public hearing on the Right to Education has flayed the government authorities for failing to attend the hearing held here on Saturday.

The jury  organised by Janapaksham  comprising  activists John Samuel, Sonia George, Rekha Raj, Saji K. Cheraman and documentary film maker Roopesh Kumar  pointed out that though official intimation was given to officials of the departments of general education, scheduled tribe and  scheduled caste and fisheries, including secretaries, none of them turned out for the meeting even as the hearing took up cases relating to the educational rights of the marginalized communities.

Many human right violations, including forceful cleaning of toilets by students belonging to marginalized communities, were brought up during the hearing through cases presented before the jury.

The stipulations in the Right to Education Act like establishing a primary school in every one-km area has not been followed, especially in areas inhabited by adivasis. Marginalised sections like dalits, adivasis and fisherfolk  are denied the  right to education envisaged by the Constitution, the jury pointed out in its preliminary observations.

Though 19 case studies were listed, only nine cases could be taken up. The rest of the case studies were given in writing to the jury. The detailed recommendations of the jury with individual observations and recommendations will be published later.