300 Students In One Room
Admin wakes up to mushrooming of coaching centers
Prompted by complaints that students were being “crammed like cattle” at tuition centers, the district administration Tuesday inspected some such facilities only to find children studying in “shockingly pathetic conditions”.
A team of officials including Tehsildar, and Sub Divisional Police Officer, led by Sub District Magistrate Dr Syed Abid visited at least five coaching centers in Hawal, Nigeen and adjoining areas of the east City.
Sources said finding the conditions “grossly inhuman”, summons were issued in all the five cases to the coaching center owners to appear before the District Magistrate.
“In a small dingy room, void of any heating arrangements, at least 300 girls were being taught,” said a police official privy to the inspection. “Forget heating arrangements, so many students could face breathing problems in such ill ventilated classrooms.”
As the official team reached the area locals demanded immediate closure of “ill managed” coaching centers. But the officials are understood have pleaded that it was beyond their competence to instantly close down such facilities. “We have taken note of the issue, we’ll file our report before the government,” the officials told the concerned citizens.
When contacted SDM denied to share any details pleading that the report was confidential. “Your better contact the District Magistrate,” Abid said.
DM Farooq Ahmed Shah said the matter was being seriously looked into. “We have summoned them to our office tomorrow and we will not hesitate to close any such facility which is found violating the laid down norms,” Shah said.
