Hyderabad: Guidelines necessary for boarding schools

HYDERABAD: Parents of the students who were sexually abused by the madrasa teacher at Asifnagar, have demanded stringent punishment for the accused. A parent whose only son is studying in the institution said that he had admitted his child in the institution as he wished to become a “Hafiz” (one who memorises the entire Quran). “Madrasas maintain a high repute in the community. I admitted my son and wanted him to memorize the Quran. I never thought that such shameful incidents would take place in such a sacred place,” he said.

The man said that his son was in a state of shock after the police arrested the teacher. “He recalls the inhumane behaviour of the man and wakes up at night. All these days he was suffering silently as the teacher threatened to kill him,” he said. Another person, whose three sons are boarders in the institution, said that the court should not release the man on bail. “If such persons are released on bail, they will again commit such sinful crimes. The police should initiate action against the management as well for failing to provide a secure environment,” he said.

To overcome the shock, the man has now asked his children to take a break from the institution. “I will decide later whether they will continue in the institution or whether to shift them elsewhere. As of now I am regularly taking them to a psychologist to help them overcome the trauma,” he said. One more parent whose son was also sexually assaulted said that the state should come up with some guidelines for boarding schools like madrasas. “I held the institution in high esteem but with such a inhumane and shameful act reported, I feel the state should intervene,” he said.