60 minor girls' sexual assault incident: Educationist slams officials, leaders for plight of government-run schools

Jind (Haryana) [India], November 14 : Leaders and officials, by refraining from sending their wards to government-run schools, inadvertently neglect the dire conditions prevalent in these educational institutions, remarked an educationist in Haryana's Jind district.
The disturbing case of sexual assault involving 60 minor girls, which came to light on September 14, saw delayed action after a month and a half, underscoring a lack of vigilance and commitment towards government schools.
The Haryana government's closure of approximately 5,000 government schools, including a substantial number of girls' schools, reflects a concerning disregard for the challenges these schools face.
Kitab Singh Bhanwala, a retired block education officer (BEO) and president of the former employees' welfare association in Jind district expressed, "The government appears to be gradually leaning towards privatization rather than addressing the pressing issues in these institutions."
Bhanwala further highlighted the disconnection between officials and the reality of government schools, stating, "It's a rarity to find any officer or notable leader enrolling their children in state-run schools. Their wards attend prominent schools in the area, seemingly indifferent to the conditions in government institutions. Action is only taken when situations spiral out of control and reach their attention. Government-run schools, for the most part, have been abandoned by the state, receiving little to no attention."
"We demand regular monthly monitoring of government schools by higher officials. Officials should proactively work to establish a safe and improved environment in schools, assessing the situation each month. Failing this, parents may cease sending their daughters to these schools," urged Bhanwala.
Significantly, there was a delay in official response to the matter. The state women's commission highlighted the issue on September 14, yet an FIR against the school principal, Kartar Singh, was only lodged on October 27, a month and a half later.
When questioned about the delay, police officials shifted responsibility to the education department, claiming that officials did not pursue legal action.
In response, education department officials stated they had submitted reports to the police and declined further comment on the matter.
Haryana Police on Saturday informed that a probe is underway into the alleged suicide of three girls who were students of a government girl senior secondary school where 60 minor girls were molested by the school principal in Jind district.