DC’s report card order revoked

SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner PS Dkhar on Wednesday revoked the order to withhold report cards of students who had refused to administer Measles-Rubella vaccine.
Dkhar said the directive was rolled back after a meeting with doctors.
“I have asked the district school education officer to instruct all schools to issue progress reports. Now, it depends on the children and their parents whether they want to administer MR vaccine,” he added.
To a query, Dkhar said a database “has to be prepared to understand the actual position of the MR campaign in the district” but children who were left out can get the vaccine at any health facility.
The revocation comes after parents and pressure groups objected to the directive and a strong statement by the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The East Khasi Hills district administration took the decision of withholding report cards because it, along with South West Khasi Hills, was under pressure to perform and increase vaccine coverage.
While most of the districts have performed well over 80 per cent, the percentage of immunised children in East Khasi Hills is only 51 and South West Khasi Hills 66.