private schools

Over 90% infants malnourished In Bengaluru, a mere 7.4% children aged below two years receive adequate diet, says the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5). That leaves a staggering 92.6% infants under two, malnourished. The figures are worse than five years ago, when only 13.9% children were receiving proper nutrition. Bengaluru is one of 342 districts for which government released data. The survey says the percentage of total children aged 6-23 months receiving an adequate diet has fallen. Children under five years who are stunted are 31.3%, an increase from 28.1% in NFHS-4, while the number of underweight children has gone…

Migrant labourers suffer as BIEC shuts down Since Monday night, over 3,000 migrant labourers walked to BIEC (Bangalore International Exhibition Centre) but were not allowed in. Instead, they were made to board buses and dropped off back to the areas they had come from. Most buses were packed and did not follow the norms of mandatory sanitisers or the limit of 30 passengers per vehicle. K V Sharath Chandra, IGP, Central Range, said BIEC was meant to be a temporary shelter for those walking to their hometowns in north India, but that more people were coming in, thinking they'd be…

Lockdown tensions Just a few hours before the 21-day national lockdown started, there was a sudden rush of people trying to return to their hometowns, even though buses and other vehicles were off the roads. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had allowed a final window till Tuesday midnight by lifting the ban on inter-district movement that had been enforced since Monday. The move was apparently to enable people to celebrate Ugadi, but the rush undid social distancing. Moreover, several thousands were stuck at various toll booths. An official memo signed by the City Police Commissioner, Bhaskar Rao, revealed that passes…

Lakshmi works as a domestic help with a few families in Bengaluru. Her daughter during the academic year 2018-2019 had been admitted to LKG in a private school through the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, section 12(1)(c). The Act promises 25 percent reservation in private unaided schools for weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. Lakshmi chose to avail this choice as she felt that in government schools, children are left to themselves and aren't provided adequate attention. She says that she wants to educate her daughter, and felt private school was the best option. There are several…

Sixteen-year-old Hasina Begum, a student of Magadi Government Girls High School in Bengaluru is entering a crucial year in school, the tenth standard. This is just her third year in school. Hasina used to work as a domestic help before she was rescued by the Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA), a Bangalore-based grassroots community development organisation. Underprivileged children who study at APSA's Kanasina Shale, located in LB Shastri Nagar. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal Hasina studied and prepared for her seventh standard exams at APSA's Dream School or Kanasina Shale, where formal education is imparted to child labourers and children from…