Girls in India are not even safe in government schools in Delhi, Women Safety is just a mere topic!
Girls in India are not even safe in government schools in Delhi: It seems like 2022 is becoming a tragic year for girls everywhere. As per police officials, an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two seniors inside the washroom of her school (Kendriya Vidyalaya) in the national capital. Like, seriously?
Though the horrible incident occurred in July, the case has been registered in October and has been highlighted as a “serious matter” by DCW only after the victim recently approached the police. Just like everyone, education is a ticket to girls’ better future, for themselves, and their families.
However, many countries including India are already aware of the fact that girls have been facing obstacles in trying to get schooling/education for a very long time and fear of violence against women restricts girls to go out of their homes. Often, many parents do not even send their daughters to school for this reason and girls too are scared to even step out of their houses.
HOPE AFTER DCW INTERVENES
The Delhi Commission for Womens (DCW) Chairperson, Swati Maliwal, has already issued a notice to the Delhi Police and the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya (a Central School Organisation) seeking an action taken report on the matter.
Kendriya Vidyalaya (a Central School Organisation) is functioned by central government under the aegis of the Ministry of Education over the alleged gangrape of an 11-year-old student within the school premises in Delhi.
According to the statement of the girl, she collided with two senior boys, reportedly from class 12, while going to her classroom. She stated that even after apologising to them, the boys started abusing her and took her into a washroom forcibly, locked the door and raped her.
The girl also said that she informed her teachers about the incident, but the boys were only expelled, and no further action was taken against them probably to save the ‘so-called’ reputation of the school and to save their asses too.
If these allegations are true, action will be taken against Kendriya Vidyalaya for covering up this incident that 2 students in July sexually assaulted a minor girl in her school’s restroom.
And like always, it was no surprise as there was no one to express sympathy toward or compassion for the victim and her family and no one cared enough for the girl or for the pain she went through after the incident, so she herself finally came forward for her justice.
Earlier this month, the Commission asked Delhi Police to provide a copy of an FIR and action taken in the matter. It has also been asked by the school principal to inform the commission about the action taken.
We have received a very serious case of gang rape where an 11-year-old student was assaulted inside a Delhi school’s washroom. According to the girl, the school teacher tried to hush up the matter. But it is very sad and unfortunate that even schools are not safe for kids in the national capital. Strict action must be taken and an inquiry into the role of school authorities must be conducted in the matter, said Delhi Commission for Women’s (DCW) Chairperson, Swati Maliwal.
SCENARIO IN INDIA
Poverty is already keeping girls out of school and they have been begging their parents to let them continue with their studies while struggling to juggle their household chores on one hand, but for what?
Nearly half of all sexual assaults in the country are committed against females no matter what their age is.
Unfortunately, girls around the world now know that pursuing an education can be dangerous, whether it’s because of harassment and violence from teachers or the dangers they encounter as they walk to school.
Also, in some cases, violence in their home can also hold girls’ captive and out of school. Nearly half the girls from under-developed cities especially in North India are married during their teenage years, with many before age 15 and they experience extreme violence from their much older husbands.
And now, schools are not even safe as girls who are able to go to school still face violence – in the classroom, restrooms, or within the premises and outside.
ARE SCHOOLS IN BAD SHAPE?
Well, it is not the first time or the second time that a girl is being sexually assaulted in the school premises and it really is a matter of concern that how safe are the children studying schools in Delhi no matter if it is a government or a private.
Many cases have been filed where minor girls were raped or molested inside the government schools or their premises.
Although, in the national capital, there are two types of government schools. The first kind is run by the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), and the others which are run by the Delhi government. According to the senior government official and multiple reports, the MCD-run schools are in dreadful condition, and often don’t even have a single guard for the security, which puts students at immense risk. Whereas, the Delhi government-run schools are far better compared to MCD; as most of the schools are equipped with CCTV cameras, and the footage is properly recorded. However, both kinds of government schools fall short when it comes to having enough counselors for children.
The BJP-controlled MCD however defended its school infrastructure, and denied it was “poorer than those run by the city government” after the AAP MLA showcased their “poor condition” on social media via live-streamed video.
According to sources, there are 354 schools under East MCDs, 568 schools under South MCD, and 700 under North MCD.
This year in August, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena opened 15 model smart schools of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and said that the initiative is to extend 1,000 more MCD schools by the end of this year.
Saxena in August also said that as a part of their pilot project, teaching, technological and physical infrastructure will be upgraded, and 25 schools run by the MCD have been identified to be modified.
“It is very essential that government schools have a better student-teacher ratio along with some guards and an adequate number of women helpers to assist girl students at various levels, like going to the washroom,” the senior government official asserts.
FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM
If we see the major facts, the heinous crime occurred inside the school toilet which reveals several security lapses.
Why were there no CCTV cameras at all, to monitor the security of the kids? Also, why there was no helper or school staff outside the washroom or on that floor because the girl was dragged from the corridor to the washroom, and surprisingly no staff or helper of the school was around to see that.
According to the educationists, it was observed that in several government schools, security cameras are not installed as required, and for it to be a preventive measure, they need to be monitored.
It is not rocket science to understand how important CCTV cameras are and they need to be regularly monitored to intervene in such incidents.
So, the question is what exactly is it? Are the schools in the ‘national capital’ running out of staff/helpers or are they running out of money and they can’t afford to hire one or install some CCTV cameras?
This incident portrays the concern of the government they have for the children and from the looks of it, they have taken everything for granted because the real discussion is – it is not about what school comes under which government, what matters is, are girls safe or not in schools.
Also, according to the report from the apex child rights body NCPCR in April 2022, only 203 out of 1,027 government schools in the national capital have a headmaster or principal for which it sought an explanation from the Delhi government.
Now imagine the situation of the 824 schools in the national capital in which there are no headmaster/acting headmaster/ or principal available.
NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said that the head of the school has an essential role when it comes to ensuring that schools have a positive learning atmosphere and a caring, inclusive culture and environment.
The chief of the apex child rights body NCPCR himself said that “The absence of the school principal or headmaster will have implications for the safety and security of children.” But still, there was no change and no action was taken. So, if this is not taking things for granted then what is?
In India, cases of violence against women can be seen in every state and every corner of the city.
After this incident, everyone started playing the blame game while accusing the central government or the Delhi government for their part in managing and maintaining the schools.
But it is actually not about the schools, it is about making a safe place for the girls, everywhere.
WHERE ARE ALL THE FUNDS?
In September 2022, the AAP legislators, along with the party’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj, in the live-streamed session of their visit to the schools on social media platforms, showcased the “poor condition” of the buildings, classrooms, washrooms/toilets and campuses, and slammed the BJP government for raising questions on the Delhi government’s expenditure on the construction of its schools.
However, MCD denied that its school infrastructure is poorer than Delhi government-run schools,” as per a statement by the civic body.
“The recent report reveals that, the funds allotted by the Delhi government to MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), for the purpose of infrastructure creation/capital assets/repair and maintenance have been Rs 0 (zero rupee) in the 2020-21, then Rs 21 crore in the year session 2021-22 and Rs 7.5 crore in year session 2022-23 for over 1,535 MCD schools,” the Civic body further claimed.
In comparison, the Delhi government schools have been provided ‘over Rs 1,500 crore every year for its 1,100 schools,” according to the MCD.
So far, we have heard that there are no CCTV cameras, no guards, and in some schools, there are no headmasters, principals or even acting headmasters. Then, the question is, where is the fund being actually used?
