Hyderabad: Little Elly Play School in Jubilee Hills, which has nearly fifty students below the age of five, will reportedly be shut down within a week as per the orders of the District Educational Officer (DEO).
The mother of a four-year-old had filed a case in January alleging that the school was being run without proper affiliation, trained personnel or the required building certification. She also complained that the school management and staff were mentally harassing her son by calling him mentally retarded and not allowing him to play with his peers, because of personal disagreements with her. However, the school denied the allegations.
The mother then proceeded to file a complaint with the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Education Department, stating that her child was not his usual self as a result of the immense mental harassment. The issue was reported in the Deccan Chronicle on January 21.
The child has since been moved to another playschool and is reportedly showing good progress. His mother says, “It has been a wonderful change after all the negativity he had to undergo at such a young age. Our complaint was not processed for nearly three months. I personally visited Mr Kadiyam Srihari’s office along with my husband. The minister’s orders prompted the DEO’s office to look into the matter. They informed me on Monday that the school would be closed within a week.”
Keerthi Reddy, the principal of the school, says, “It is a baseless accusation. The school will close for its summer break in three days anyway. We have requested the concerned officials for some time to work on the guidelines supposed to be followed. Our management will take care of that, and we will strive to keep each child safe and secure in our school premises.” The NCPCR has also sent a letter to the district collector seeking a report on the school, asking if the school has a license to run a day-care centre for young children and if any guidelines are being flouted.
The Education Department has decided to conduct a detailed investigation into playschools being run across the city.
