Bengaluru: Thirteen days after it closed, VIBGYOR High, Marathahalli, which has been in the eye of a storm over the rape of a six- year- old in its premises, opened its doors to students between classes V and X on Monday amidst tight security and evident tension among both the children and their parents.
In accordance with the decision taken at a meeting between the school management and the parents on Sunday, classes resumed at 9am and continued till 2.55 pm. The school vans with lady attendants accompanying the students began arriving at the campus at around 8.45 am and teachers received the children at the main door. Going by the students, they were given a pep talk about the importance of education by the teachers before the start of classes.
Although only classes V to X were to be held, many children studying in lower classes too arrived presuming they had resumed as well. While some returned home, others stayed back at the school’s day care centre.
As a confidence building measure, the school management allowed parents to visit the classrooms to see for themselves the new security measures in place. A few parents were heard voicing their displeasure over the fact that the police and the government had allowed the school to reopen when the accused in the rape of the little girl were still at large and action had not yet been taken against those who had tried to destroy importance evidence related to the crime.
An angry mother of one student said it was highly unfortunate that the school had resumed classses before real action was taken against the culprits. "According to the victim two persons assaulted her, but the police has arrested only one. There was an attempt to destroy evidence. But no action has been taken.
Still, the school has reopened. I will not send my child to it ever," she declared. Bengaluru South-4 Block Education Officer (BEO) , SM Ramesh, who was present at the school the whole of Monday, claimed that most of the issues raised by parents were dealt with satisfactorily. "Classes went off smoothly. Many demands of the parents, including those related to security have been addressed. We have got all the details, including student attendance," he said.
Going by the school, 67 per cent of students attended classes V to VII and 87 per cent, classes VIII to X.
