A Government Elementary School in Villupuram, Tamilnadu, recently organised an event that exposed school children to serious harm - in the name of celebrations to mark the birth centenary of the former TN Chief Minister, K.Kamaraj.
The 'show' began with students displaying their karate skills. Then came the main event, a motorcyclist riding over the outstretched hands of students from class I to V, lying prone on the ground and later, the bike going over a plank, placed on the chest of a girl.
Ironically, the event was organised in consultation with the parents-teachers’ association (village administrative committee) of the municipality elementary school at Keezhperumpakkam in Villuppuram, on a day when a trust managed by the family of higher education minister K Ponmudy came forward to distribute free uniforms and stationery items.
It was the minister’s wife, the chief guest, who stopped the school authorities from continuing their ‘daring stunts’. “After witnessing a couple of events, the minister’s wife directed us to stop the show. We abruptly ended the programme,” said parents-teachers’ association treasurer M Elangovan.
The incident has evoked strong protests from child rights activists, who want the government to sensitise the teaching fraternity, particularly those in the rural areas, on the basic rights of children.
I remember participating in the Children's Day celebration - our class V children stood in the scorching sun in the Nehru Stadium, here, in Chennai and did some exercise with some props in our hands - hoopla, I think. One girl from my class fainted, because we had to wait for a long time, till the Chief Guest came, to do the exercise, in front of him! This is nothing, comparing to the above stunt. I was shocked in the morning, as soon as I opened the newspaper, seeing this photograph. What will happen to so many tiny fingers, if something went wrong? And the girl...don't want to think further.
