By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Negligence on part of the authorities of St Anthony’s Junior School came to fore after it was reported that the authorities decided to release the students from the school without taking measures on the safety and security of the young students.
After the school got over on Friday, the school authorities decided to ask the students to leave the school premises from the main gate opposite Don Bosco Square without deputing any teachers to escort the children while leaving the school premises.
What was suprising was that the children were asked to leave the school premises in one go by asking them to stand in a queue in the presence of only two ‘Aayas’ of the school.
There could have been a major case of stampede since there was very little space for the children to stand within the school premises.
In fact, majority of the children were on the road side after leaving the main gate. Since there was very little space, students were trying to push each other and in the process many of them fell on the ground.
Young ones studying in Class II were seen crying since they were not able to find their parents.
Not only the children, even the parents were panic as they could not find their children since there was too much rush and everything was in total mess.
It was also seen that many students lost their water bottles even as there were few whose books had fallen from their bag into the ground due to the rush.
As a result of this there was a major traffic jam in Don Bosco Square since majority of the children were forced to stand on the road side after leaving the school premises.
It took some time for the traffic personnel to clear the road which was flooded with children.
Some of the dejected parents on Saturday expressed their disappointment over the irresponsible act on part of the school authorities.
“With so many school children, the school authorities could have thought of releasing the students class wise.
If they had done thisthe rush could have been avoided,” few of the dejected parents said, adding, “It was a nightmare for all of us”.
According to the parents, normally the children are released from the gate of Don Bosco Hall.
But since there was function in the Don Bosco Hall, the dejected parents said that the children were released from the main gate opposite Don Bosco square on Friday.