Parents protest at school branches in Noida and Delhi

THE PARENTS WANT THE MANAGEMENT TO STEP UP SECURITY AFTER A CLASS 2 STUDENT WAS KILLED IN THE BHONDSI BRANCH OF THE SCHOOL

personnel were posted outside Ryan International Schools in Delhi and Noida on Monday after groups of parents protested against security lapses in the school’s branches.

A group of parents, whose children go to the Noida Sector 39 branch, staged a protest after they were not allowed to meet the principal, while another group protested outside south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj branch.

The parents want the management to step up security after a class 2 student was murdered in the Bhondsi branch of the school.

At least 100-150 parents reached the school campus early Monday morning and demanded to meet the principal and discuss about their children’s safety at school.

They filed a police complaint against the management of Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj, alleging they were negligent towards their students’ security within the school premises. According to the complaint signed by parents, they alleged security lapses and sought inspection of the school premises by the principal and administration manager.

The numbers swelled within hours, following which the local police also reached the school and stood guard throughout the day to ensure there was no violence. The parents also demanded that the school be closed till the security lapses were corrected.

In the afternoon, the school authorities allowed the parents of around five-seven students to conduct an inspection. “We took a round of the complete school building and found lots of negligence or non-compliance against child safety and security (sic),” reads the complaint.

The complaint also mentions some of the lapses noticed by parents like the presence of a sweeper without a uniform or ID card in school. They also alleged that the main water and garbage tank within the premises were unlocked. “CCTV cameras were not working. Security guard and support staff not in proper uniform…..,” reads the complaint.

Anuradha Sharma, the principal of the school’s Vasant Kunj branch, said that she had accompanied the parents on their inspection and had taken note of the discrepancies. “It was not a police complaint, but rather their observations... We are already working on it, and we also had a PTA meeting today (Monday),” she said.

On January 30, 2016, a Ryan International School student Devansh Meena was found dead in the water tank of the school.

Additional deputy commissioner of police south, Chinmoy Biswal confirmed the police have received a complaint but have not registered an FIR yet.

The parents began assembling outside the gate of Ryan International School in Sector 39 at around 8am and wanted an assurance that their children were safe, sources said.

The parents were told that the principal would meet them after school hours. However, the parents did not disperse from the spot and continued their protest and shouted slogans against the school. District magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, BN Singh also rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Sunita Mukherjee, principal of the school, said, “We are already working on the concerns of the parents. A little time has been sought to address the queries and we are taking all steps to ensure that the children are safe.”

Police also guarded the school’s Kasna in Greater Noida and Noida Extension branches. “A group of parents had gathered to carry out a candle march so we deployed our personnel,” Kasna SHO Jitendera Singh said.