04/03/2018
Abuse of School Children
In the comfort zone of my room, I've been contemplating on why school children are still been abused in some village schools.
Some years back, around 2005, sometimes we were asked to bring gravels(stones) to school for being late. But then the purpose of those stones wasn't devastating compared to that of today's 21st century. Those stones were used to prevent erosion as well as to cover up muddy areas.
Notwithstanding the fact that I have no problem with pupils working for their tutors, I find it very odd when I paid a visit to a village in Suhum and discovered that pupils were asked to bring firewoods to school. And to make it worse, most often they are expected to bring along stones as well in this 21st century.
My curiosity did not allow me to rest and so I decided to find out the purpose of these constant collection of firewoods and stones.
Talking to some pupils of the school, they told me that, the firewoods are collected for the tutors. They further told me that the tutors who use gas cookers, collect the firewoods and sell them.
So I asked myself whether it's right for tutors to use school children for such tasks. I got more worried when I attended one of their PTA meetings and realised that some parents who don't have farms in the area were complaining bitterly. Why? Because when they buy firewoods to use, their children steal them and send them to school in order to avoid being punished.
Won't you ask me the purpose of the stones? Obviously, same purpose, for sale. Believe me, whenever my cousin, Isaac who is in class five wakes up, the first thing to come to his mind is fetching of stones before even thinking of his assignments. Not to talk of how dirty they look after fetching the stones.
Ever since I returned from vacation, I've been in a dilemma, as to why the authorities are adamant on the issue. I've been wondering; has it not been brought to their notice, or perhaps it's of no interest to them.
My love for humanity will not allow me rest, so ple-ase something needs to be done. Share for change to be effected.