Editor,
Amid the declining quality of education in government schools, parents across all economic strata - rich, middle-class, and poor - are compelled to send their wards to private institutions in the hope of securing better education and facilities.
However, observing the growing number of untoward incidents in private school hostels, it has become painfully clear that these institutions have devolved into 100% business models, operating entirely on their own whims, without any meaningful government regulation.
Today, the ground reality of approximately 95% of private schools in Itanagar and across Arunachal Pradesh is deeply concerning. The conditions are characterised by the following glaring deficiencies:
# Severe overcrowding: Rooms originally designed for 20 beds with study tables and chairs are crammed with 70 to 80 beds only. There is little to no breathing space, no table and chairs available.
# Unqualified staff: Wardens are often employed merely for the sake of having a name on the roster, lacking the necessary qualifications or training to handle students.
# Compromised safety: CCTV cameras are frequently installed for show and remain non-functional.
# Lack of basic amenities: There is a severe absence of RO water purifiers, depriving students of safe drinking water. Even if there is RO installed, the last maintenance would date back to 2/3 years.
# Unhygienic food: The meals served to the students are frequently unhygienic and lack nutritional value.
# Absence of discipline: Hostels fail to enforce basic life skills or standard timetables for essential routines like bathing, studying, and resting.
# Unjustified costs: The exorbitant school and hostel fees demanded by these managements simply do not justify the subpar education and facilities provided.
It is a bitter truth to present to the general public and the government, but if one were to inspect a well-maintained piggery farm and compare it with the average private school hostel, they would be shocked to find that the pigs are often kept in better conditions than our hostellers.
Most distressing of all are the recent, deeply troubling news reports of students dying in private school hostels under mysterious circumstances. This is no longer an isolated case; it has become a frequent and recurring nightmare. Yet, the state government and the Education Department remain conspicuously apathetic, acting as though they have nothing to do with the safety of these children.
This begs several urgent questions: Why is the government not regulating these private schools? Why are there no mandatory, unannounced inspections to check the living conditions of these hostels? Ultimately, why is it always the parents who must pay exorbitant fees, only to suffer such unimaginable anxiety and loss?
It is high time the government and the authorities concerned woke up from their slumber, formulated strict regulatory frameworks for private educational institutions, and held the management accountable before another tragedy strikes.
Concerned parents
