New rules to curb free run of Kovai hostels

COIMBATORE: The brutal rape of two minor girls residing at a church hostel in Pollachi recently has thrown light on the lack of guidelines and absence of monitoring essential to ensuring the safety and security of children. While chief minister J Jayalalithaa's announcement of new guidelines is timely, the larger issue is their implementation and vigilant supervision of such hostels and homes for children.
The free run that hostels have had till now in the city is troubling. While Coimbatore has 749 schools, the education department is not even aware of the number of residential schools in the city. Only after the Pollachi rape case, the department ordered city schools to submit details pertaining to hostels.
While it has been three days since past the deadline set by the chief educational office and inspector of matriculation schools, schools continue to send their filled applications, said an official at the matriculation schools office. "Rural schools have to send in the information through post," explained Chandran, inspector of matriculation schools in-charge said.
"Schools must submit their request to set up a hostel in their premises to the inspector of matriculation schools (IMS)," said K R Nandakumar, Tamil Nadu nursery, primary and matriculation schools association general secretary. Chief educational officer (CEO), A Gnanagowri said that very few city schools have hostels and they have been closely monitoring them. No major complaints have been registered against them so far, she added.
Another dilemma is the lack of clarity on who has jurisdiction over these hostels. For example, when a case of sexual assault in a hostel arises, the chief educational office, inspector of matriculation schools and social welfare department point their fingers at each other. "All three bodies are equally responsible and are supposed to take action. However, it is the police that registers the complaint and takes care of the legal formalities," said Nandakumar.
After the Pollachi rape case, childcare homes come under the care of the child protection officer. Until then, it was the social welfare department that was responsible for their supervision.
There are many schools that have been running hostels without permission, an official source said. "Since the numbers are very small, school managements don't feel the need to inform the school education authorities about their operations," said a senior official from the education department. Since no complaints have been made, the authorities say they don't feel the need to inspect schools and their hostels regularly.
However, another education department officer revealed that he has received complaints regarding excess fees, poor quality of food and lack of wardens and maids in hostels. According to the government norms, there should be one maid for every 25 students and one warden for every 50, said a senior official.