Tragedy strikes Delhi Govt school children

Five innocent children of Delhi Government school Khajuri Khas have lost their lives and 25 were seriously injured in the stampede. The lost their lives only because of the total negligence of school administration. First of all no school building irrespective of government or private run schools have all the safety measures in place as istructed by the apex court of the country. The position of the government schools is even worse despite the expenditure of crores of government money. There is complete lack of basic amenities in government schools in Delhi despite the fact that the future of the country is being taught and groomed up in these schools. This is the position of national capital. Now it can be easily imagined what will be the position of government-run schools in the far-flung area of the country. The Thursday's tragedy that took place in the school was due to the complacency and negligence of the school authorities.Initial reports said a rumour about electric charge in water led to the stampede, but locals refuted it saying that the area had no power supply at the time of the incident.The stampede took place when students were trying to make their way up and down a narrow staircase when they were asked to shift classrooms flooded with rain water during an examination.Around 1,300 students including boys, had come for the examination in heavy downpour. It is terminal examination season in Delhi government school. On Thursday the weather was inclement and it was raining incessently for the last 12 hours and water had collected in the school ground as usual. Which is why it was instantly announced by the school authority about the change of seats of student and in haste for finding seats there started unruly rush and there was no teacher deputed to control the crowd of students. In the meantime, there was a rumour that water logged in the school is electrocuted and that resulted in the stampede leading to the deaths of 5 students. In government-run school, there is a feeling among teachers and principals that they are not accountable to any one. No principal of the Delhi Govt school takes the concerns of the parents or guardians of the students seriously nor treat them well. It is only because the government pays them handsome salary without fixing any accountability to the upkeep of the schools and proper care of the students. Chief Minister Sheila Dixit must act to remove the complacency from among the teachers and make them accountable to what they teach to the studets and to the concerns of the guardians of students. CM has promptly ordered a high-level probe. By merely announcing the compensation of 1 lakh rupees to the kith and kin of those died and Rs.50,000 to the injured can do nothing to them. The Delhi governmet must learn a lesson from Khajuri Khash School tragedy and make arrangement so full proof that in future the children in schools must not fall prey to the ugly stampede.