Arunachal: APWWS urges child rights panel to probe into KGBV students’ protest

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Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) has voiced concern over the protest staged by schoolgirls of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at Nyangno village in Pakke Kessang district, where students demonstrated against the prolonged absence of two subject teachers that has disrupted their studies.

At least 90 students from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) marched around 65 km to highlight the alleged acute shortage of teachers in their institute. The students, in their blue school uniform, embarked on a foot march from Nyangno village on September 14 last, walked the entire night and reached the district headquarters, Lemmi, the next morning. Led by students of classes 11 and 12, the protestors demanded immediate posting of teachers in Geography and Political Science. The students held posters reading ‘a school without a teacher (is) just a building’. They also raised slogans in support of their demand.

Calling the situation a serious setback to the girls’ education, the APWWS urged the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) to constitute an independent fact-finding committee.

The proposed panel, APWWS said, should investigate the ground realities that triggered the protest and recommend measures to address the students’ grievances. APWWS also cautioned the state education department against hasty punitive measures such as suspending the headmistress and warden, warning that such steps could create fear and tension in the school. Instead, it pressed for an empathetic and informed approach that safeguards the emotional and academic well-being of the students. The APWWS further appealed to the department to give priority to filling vacancies, ensuring proper staffing, and establishing transparent grievance redressal mechanisms.

According to the society, these steps are vital to uphold students’ rights and welfare and to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Meanwhile, the education department has placed the headmistress and hostel warden of the school, under suspension with immediate effect till further order.

Education commissioner Amjad Tak, in an order, placed headmistress Nyayir Riba and warden Tummi Chisi under suspension. Taking strong exception to the incident, the commissioner, in the order, said, “It is the responsibility of the KGBV head to bring such grievances of students to the notice of the higher authorities through appropriate channels. Failure to do so has resulted in grave mismanagement and indiscipline.”

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