Rewari girl students end fast after govt bends rules to upgrade school
The girls, complaining of sexual harassment on way to their school located 3kms from their village, had sat on a hunger strike, demanding upgrade of the village school from Class 10 to 12
A principal has been appointed in the school at Gothra Tappa Dahina and admissions will start for the 201718 session on Thursday.
RAM BILAS SHARMA, Haryana education minister
ROHTAK: Eight days after girl students of a government high school in Rewari district, 90 km from Rohtak, went on a hunger strike, the Haryana government on Wednesday bent the rules to accept their demand to upgrade it to a senior secondary school. The girls wanted the school at Gothra Tappa Dahina upgraded from Class 10 to 12 as they were sexually harassed by men on motorcycles on the way to the school in the neighbouring village 3 km away.
The government gave norms a go-by while issuing the notification to upgrade the school. As per norms, the high school must have at least 150 students in Classes 9 and 10 to be upgraded to Class 12. However, the school at Gothra Tappa Dahina has 70 students in both classes.
Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma said, “A principal has been appointed in the school and admissions will start for the 2017-18 session on Thursday.”
IN CELEBRATION MODE
Soon after the notification, the 83 girl students of Classes 11 and 12 broke into celebrations. Earlier in the day, 10 of them were hospitalised, ending the hunger strike that started on May 10.
Border Security Force jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who was dismissed from service last month over his videos complaining of poor quality of food served to BSF personnel, also joined the girls in their struggle.
On Tuesday, the girls locked the village school to press for the acceptance of their demand.
The Haryana government issued a statement on Monday, agreeing to upgrade the village school. But the girls insisted a notification be issued. “Ho jaega nahin, ho gaya hai bologe to uthenge. Don’t promise us it will happen, tell us that it’s happened and we end our protest,” said Pooja, a student who was on hunger strike.