Corporation proposal for residential schools raises safety concerns

CHENNAI: The city corporation's plan to offer residential facilities for students has raised a debate about whether institutionalising children is the best option to tackle a rising dropout rate and child labour.
Following a meeting between parents and students of Classes 11 and 12 on Monday, the corporation decided to provide residential facilities in four of the 32 higher secondary schools in the city.The hostels will be at the schools on Pulla Avenue in Shenoy Nagar, Subbarayan Street in Chetpet, and at two schools in Saidapet.
"These four schools have been selected as they achieve good academic results," a corporation official said. "Students from other schools who require residential facilities can move to one of these schools."
While the idea is to provide students a conducive environment for academic excellence, the civic body has to chalk out clear strategies for the children's safety.
"The corporation hostels may keep them safe from bad influences in slums, but they should also guard them against abuse and neglect in residential schools," said Unicef child protection officer Vidhyasagar Ramamurthy. Citing instances of abuse in children's homes, including the recent rape of two minors in Pollachi, Ramamurthy said, "They should have high security standards and a combined monitoring system by the government and NGOs. Children should also be able to voice their problems." But he said many girls drop out after Class 10 to get married or work and a hostel facility would keep them in school.
"Teachers should stay with the children instead of wardens. They shouldn't become like the horror homes we hear of," said Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System.
All departments of the civic body will form a committee to monitor safety and conduct regular health checks. Education department officials said parents are willing to send their children to residential schools. "Most are single mothers who find it hard to juggle work and child care. A number of parents have three children and do not have enough space in their houses," the official said.
Another point of argument is that families must be counselled to stay together. "Most students face problems, physical or mental. Corporation should strengthen the family system rather than institutionalise children," said A Narayanan, director, CHANGEIndia.
"There are so many street children and homeless people for whom corporation hasn't been able to provide basic facilities and security. I am not convinced it can successfully run residential schools."