SHILLONG: The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has criticised the notification issued by the deputy commissioner linking students’ annual reports to Measles-Rubella vaccination.
In a statement issued to the media on Thursday, the commission said the move is “clearly a violation of child rights”
“The deputy commissioner cannot view this as fault of the children but in fact should introspect as to what was the cause of low percentage turnout by the district administration. It is, therefore, requested that the deputy commissioner withdraw the letter sent to the DSEO and not harass students appearing for their final examinations for no fault of theirs. This is an earnest request from the chairperson (Meena Kharkongor),” the statement said.
The East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner on Wednesday issued a notification on Wednesday asking the district school education officer to withhold the annual examination results of those students who refused to go for Measles-Rubella vaccination.
The order was given keeping in mind the low coverage of vaccination in the district.
Members of the All Meghalaya School Parents Association have also voiced their concern and termed the move as “a violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act”.
The association, in a statement issued on Thursday, said, “It is understood that as per the RTE Act anyone who denies promotion of a child student is in violation of the act and is liable to punishment.”
The association added that the government should take strict action against the officer who violates the act by threatening students to withhold his promotion for the failure of a government department.
“This portrays that we are not living in a democracy but rather a dictatorship wherein the failure of the Health Department in ensuring proper information and education to parents was not provided, hence the low coverage. It is not understood how the failure of one department of the government can supersede the Right to Education Act,” the association noted.
However, the Health Department on Thursday washed its hands of the row by saying both East Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills are “under pressure” due to low immunisation rate and “how they will increase it in the districts is their discretion”.
Sources in the Health and Family Welfare Department said the overall 80 percentage of children in the state have been vaccinated under the campaign.
While most of the districts have performed well with immunisation of children from 80-100 percent, the percentage in East Khasi Hills is only 51 and in South West Khasi Hills 66.
“Both the districts were asked to make micro plans on how to achieve the target besides they were asked to take some measures to record high immunization. It is at the discretion of the district administration and the district MR team on how to increase the numbers and department will not like to interfere in their plan of action,” the sources said, adding that the government was expecting two districts to witness high immunisation.
The KSU and other pressure groups have already opposed the directive.
