School may lose affiliation, parents worried

District administration says it will give admission to students in the village government school; future of 200 children at stake

LONGOWAL (SANGRUR): Two days after four students, a boy and three girls, in the age group of 3-6 years were burnt alive when a ramshackle mini-van of Simran Public School, Longowal, caught fire in the village, the school remained closed on Monday.

Hard, difficult questions about the future stare at parents of 200 students.

Their concern stems from the fact that the government, in all probability, will cancel the school’s affiliation with the Punjab School Education Board.

This will mean they will have to find another school for their wards, where they would again have to pay the admission fee and other expenses already paid to this school; pertinent to this issue is the fact that only final exams are to be conducted with the academic session set to close in another month or so.

Any refund from Simran Public School is unlikely as the owner-cum-principal Lakhwinder Singh is in police lock-up, having been sent to three-day police custody on Sunday.

“The school is closed and we are expecting that the government will guide us. We have no idea on where we should enrol her now,” said Gurjeet Kaur, mother of Amandeep Kaur, 14, who saved four students from the fire due to her presence of mind.

Gurpreet Kaur, two of whose kids sustained minor injuries but were rescued, demanded that the government should ensure education and safety of children during schools hours and during transport.

“We paid ₹11,000 fee for my son, Manvir Singh. Now, we have to shift our children to another school and pay the fee again. If the government does not act now, such tragedies will continue,” Kaur added.

Lakhvir Singh, another parent, said his daughter and nephew were in nursery and Class-1 in the school and the family had to pay ₹5,000 and ₹7,000

› The school is closed. We expect that the government will guide us regarding admission and ensure safety during transport. We have no idea on where we should enrol her now.

GURJEET KAUR, mother of Amandeep who saved 4 students

› Further action against the school will be taken after the magisterial probe report. Students will be admitted to government schools. If parents want to shift to private schools, it will be their choice.

GHANSHYAM THORI, Sangrur deputy commissioner

annual fee, respectively, exclusive of transport and other charges, respectively.

“Government Primary School, Sunami Patti, which was functional near our residence was shifted, forcing us to enrol children in this school,” Lakhvir added.

Deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said, “Further action against the school will be taken after magisterial probe report is submitted. Students will be admitted to government schools. If parents want to shift to private schools, it will be their choice.