The National Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi, seeking its response over the pathetic condition of an old school for the visually impaired.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, which said that around 35 students of one of the country’s oldest schools for the visually impaired were forced to study at the risk of their lives in a dilapidated building with literally no requisite educational as well as residential facilities, the Commission directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to file a detailed report within four weeks.
Noting that the contents of the media report, if true, raised serious issues of safety and human rights of the Divyang children and their teachers, the rights body directed the Delhi government to include in the report the present status of the school and steps being taken or proposed to be taken to maintain the continuity of education for the students and their safety.
A media report carried on June 23, 2023 had said that the unrecognised school being run by an NGO in Panchkuian area of Delhi, was reportedly set up in Lahore in 1939 and migrated to its present location in central Delhi in 1947.
The report further said that in addition to the students, there were eight teaching and 15 non-teaching staff in the school, adding that most of the students in the school were from outside Delhi.
The news article further said that the school management had written to the Delhi Lt Governor and the Education Department to transfer the students to other blind schools in view of the impending risks to their life.