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Synopsis

The Calcutta HC recently ordered the state government of West Bengal to take necessary steps to sensitise parents of children who dropped out of school during the COVID-19 outbreak about the importance of education and to take additional steps to re-enroll the dropout students in school.

“Necessary steps can be taken to sensitise the parents of those children regarding the need for education and steps have to be taken to provide clean atmosphere, good drinking water, mid-day meal etc. to bring back the dropout students to school,” court said. 

While ordering so, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya disposed of the writ petition at hand.

Court also directed that the Commissioner of School Education to also call for reports from various districts on the student's strength in the schools pre-Covid and post-Covid.

Advocate Sayan Banerjee had filed the present PIL. The plea sought appropriate direction from to state government to remit the student. The plea brought up a crucial point about students dropping out of various schools, particularly government schools.

It was stated in the plea that during the Covid Pandemic, many students dropped out of government schools because of disruptions in classes and a lack of online learning opportunities, among other factors.

The bench suggested that a wide publication can be given in the media and television channels, impressing upon the need for good education for the children regardless of the parent's background.

While disposing of the petition, the court said “We hope and trust that the observations made by us in this order will be taken in the right spirit and the government will take pro-active steps to the grievance expressed.”

Case Title: Sayan Banerjee v. State of West Bengal