Allahabad High Court Orders Politician, Officers to Send Their Children to Government Primary Schools

Allahabad high court on Tuesday took a serious note of the pathetic condition of primary schools in the state and directed the chief secretary to ensure that children/wards of government officials/servants, those serving in the local bodies, representatives of people and judiciary, etc., send their wards to these schools.  The order came on petition filed by Umesh Kumar Singh and others who had challenged the process of selection of Associate Teachers for government-run primary and junior high schools in UP for the years 2013 and 2015. The court observed that government servants would ensure that state-run schools would function well if they send their children to such educational institutions.

Passing the judgement, Justice Sudhir Agarwal also ruled that "penal provisions" be laid down for those who violated the order. "For example, if a child is sent to a private school not maintained by the UP Board," an amount equivalent to that paid in the form of fees by the erring officials or elected representatives "shall be deposited in state exchequer every month so long as such education in other kind of primary school is continued". "Besides, such person, if in service, should be made to suffer other benefits like increment, promotional avenues for a certain period, as the case may be", the court said, adding "this is only illustrative.