Stop harassment of single mothers during admission in schools, Bengal child rights commission asks government to make stringent rules

After receiving several complaints from single mothers who had faced harassment during admission of their children in schools, the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has asked the state government to take stringent measures ahead of the admission period in 2019.

The commission has said that it wants stringent rules to prevent this sort of harassment faced by single women and the penalty could even amount to cancellation of the schools’ affiliations.

The WBCPCR has sent its recommendations to the West Bengal department of women and child development and social welfare, directorate of child rights and trafficking and the department of school education and asked them to ensure there is no harassment of single mothers, widows, divorcees during the time of admission in schools.

“There should be laws to compel school authorities to treat children of single mothers, widows, divorcees at par with children with both parents, when it comes to admission,” an official said.

The child rights commission has recommended to the government that the legal provisions should be framed to penalise schools if they do not comply with the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and other relevant rules.

The commission has also expressed worry on receiving several complaints on this issue during the admission in schools earlier this year.