He was abandoned twice in 10 days
Special school refuses to admit abandoned mentally challenged boy on the grounds that his case is too severe for its small staff; Social Security Dept promises action against school
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, September 10, 2013 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2013091020130910024630158a0c061e/He-was-abandoned-twice-in-10-days.html
Prakash School in Thaltej has a capacity to handle 125 students but currently has only 108 students Fourteen-year-old ‘Bhavesh’ — who is mentally ill and has cerebral palsy — is being abandoned for the second time in 10 days, this time by a school for special-needs children. Prakash, the Thaltej-based school for mentally challenged children, has refused him admission on the grounds that his case is too severe for it to handle. Named Bhavesh as he can’t even give his name, the boy was found abandoned on a Viramgam-bound express train coming from Mumbai by a passenger on September 1, and then sent to the remand home at Khanpur when no one claimed him.
HELP SOUGHT
The state government’s Child Welfare Committee has approached the state’s Social Security department for action against the state-granted school for refusing him admission. Dinaben Patel, deputy director, social security department, said action will be taken against the school soon.
“Action will be initiated against Prakash once our director returns from leave,” she said, adding that no organisation can refuse a directive from Child Welfare Committee’s to admit any child. “All granted institutes have to follow government rules. They cannot deny admission to children on the ground that they do not have staff. The school’s recognition could be withdrawn and grant stopped,” she said. “We sent the boy to Childline (an NGO), and then to the remand home.
Bhavesh is back at the remand home
Since the boy cannot even sit properly, we referred him to Prakash school, which is a government school for mentally challenged children with experts and a hostel. We had gone to them with the order on Tuesday (September 3), but they refused him admission,” said Manisha Patel, Child Welfare Committee chairperson. “We have looked into the issue and asked the Social Security Department to initiate action against the school,” she added.
Natubhai Patel, honorary director at Prakash school, said, “They had come to us. But that boy has cerebral palsy. He cannot walk or perform dayto- day activities. As it is we are shortstaffed. Plus, we don’t have people who can handle such children. Besides, we send our students back home during vacations. But there is no trace of Bhavesh’s relatives. Where will we send him during vacations?” Prakash has a capacity to handle 125 students but currently has only 108 students.
Eighty-five of them live in the hostel. The other 23 are dayscholars who return home every evening, according to a source in the school who did not want to be named. “This shows school has vacancy and perhaps no staff crunch,” this person said. For now, Bhavesh is back at the remand home.
Decision on him will be taken soon, added sources. Meanwhile, sources in the Railway Protection Force said that the tag on Bhavesh’s shirt collar was from a tailor in Valsad, meaning the boy could be from there. Security footage has not provided any information.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, September 10, 2013 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2013091020130910024630158a0c061e/He-was-abandoned-twice-in-10-days.html
Prakash School in Thaltej has a capacity to handle 125 students but currently has only 108 students Fourteen-year-old ‘Bhavesh’ — who is mentally ill and has cerebral palsy — is being abandoned for the second time in 10 days, this time by a school for special-needs children. Prakash, the Thaltej-based school for mentally challenged children, has refused him admission on the grounds that his case is too severe for it to handle. Named Bhavesh as he can’t even give his name, the boy was found abandoned on a Viramgam-bound express train coming from Mumbai by a passenger on September 1, and then sent to the remand home at Khanpur when no one claimed him.
HELP SOUGHT
The state government’s Child Welfare Committee has approached the state’s Social Security department for action against the state-granted school for refusing him admission. Dinaben Patel, deputy director, social security department, said action will be taken against the school soon.
“Action will be initiated against Prakash once our director returns from leave,” she said, adding that no organisation can refuse a directive from Child Welfare Committee’s to admit any child. “All granted institutes have to follow government rules. They cannot deny admission to children on the ground that they do not have staff. The school’s recognition could be withdrawn and grant stopped,” she said. “We sent the boy to Childline (an NGO), and then to the remand home.
Bhavesh is back at the remand home
Since the boy cannot even sit properly, we referred him to Prakash school, which is a government school for mentally challenged children with experts and a hostel. We had gone to them with the order on Tuesday (September 3), but they refused him admission,” said Manisha Patel, Child Welfare Committee chairperson. “We have looked into the issue and asked the Social Security Department to initiate action against the school,” she added.
Natubhai Patel, honorary director at Prakash school, said, “They had come to us. But that boy has cerebral palsy. He cannot walk or perform dayto- day activities. As it is we are shortstaffed. Plus, we don’t have people who can handle such children. Besides, we send our students back home during vacations. But there is no trace of Bhavesh’s relatives. Where will we send him during vacations?” Prakash has a capacity to handle 125 students but currently has only 108 students.
Eighty-five of them live in the hostel. The other 23 are dayscholars who return home every evening, according to a source in the school who did not want to be named. “This shows school has vacancy and perhaps no staff crunch,” this person said. For now, Bhavesh is back at the remand home.
Decision on him will be taken soon, added sources. Meanwhile, sources in the Railway Protection Force said that the tag on Bhavesh’s shirt collar was from a tailor in Valsad, meaning the boy could be from there. Security footage has not provided any information.
