Private schools in UP want School Safety Bill

Lucknow: The Association of Private Schools in Uttar Pradesh has urged the state government to bring the ‘School Safety Bill’ or issue a government order that prohibits arrest of any school member without proper investigation in a case.

Over 45,000 private schools across Uttar Pradesh remained closed on Tuesday following a call by their association to protest against the arrest of a principal and a teacher in connection with the suicide of a student in Azamgarh district.

A Class 11 student of a girls’ college in Azamgarh had allegedly killed herself on July 31.

The principal and the class teacher were arrested in the matter on August 5, following a complaint by the girl’s family members.

In wake of the arrests, the association felt there was a need for some “safeguard measures so that heads of institutions and teachers were not harassed by police in case of any eventuality”.

The Unaided Private Schools Association, Uttar Pradesh, also urged the state government to form a committee to probe such incidents.

The Association of Private Schools will also give a representation to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in this connection.

Atul Kumar, president of Association of Private Schools, said: “We deeply condole the death of the girl student in Azamgarh. But we strongly condemn the arrest of the principal and the teacher under Section 305 without any investigation into the case. The arrest has shaken the teachers, principals and school management.”

Kumar said the student’s suicide was extremely unfortunate, but blaming the principal and teacher of the school without any investigation was “injustice to the entire school fraternity”.

“Mobile phones are prohibited on the school campus, but parents still give phones to their wards. It is sad that parents threaten to lodge FIR against the school at the slightest instance. Even children have stopped respecting teachers,” he added.

Chief of the Unaided Private Schools Association, Anil Agarwal claimed that director-general of school education Vijay Kiran Anand assured formation of a committee and sought names of the members.