OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR), led by Chairperson Ratan Anya, on Friday submitted its observations and recommendations to state Education Minister Pasang Dojee Sona during an interactive meeting at the civil secretariat.
During the meeting, the Commission gave a detailed presentation, emphasising the need for the effective implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. This provision mandates that at least 25 per cent of seats in all recognised private unaided schools be reserved for children from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups in the neighbourhood.
The Commission also called for the establishment of an effective grievance redressal mechanism under Section 32 of the RTE Act to address complaints against government, government-aided, and private schools.
Additionally, it highlighted concerns regarding bullying and ragging in educational institutions and the rise of viral social media posts related to such incidents. To combat this issue, it recommended the mandatory establishment of anti-bullying committees in all schools and the reintroduction of moral science as a subject in the elementary-level curriculum.
The APSCPCR also raised serious concerns about the denial of admission to children with special needs (CWSN) in certain schools, calling it a gross violation of their educational rights. As a solution, it recommended the mandatory appointment of special educators, particularly at the pre-primary and primary levels, in both government and private schools.
Furthermore, APSCPCR stressed the need for sensitisation and activation of prahari clubs in all schools. These children’s clubs, conceptualized by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), are part of a joint initiative to prevent drug and substance abuse among children.
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