The Calcutta High Court in the case Sayan Banerjee v. The State of West Bengal & Ors observed and has directed the State to take all the necessary steps to sensitise the parents of those children, who are being dropped out of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, with regards to the need of education and also to take further steps to bring them back to the schools.
The division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya was hearing the PIL moved on the issue.
The bench in the case observed that the Commissioner of School Education shall also call for reports from various districts with regards to the student’s strength in the respective schools, wherein a pre-Covid and post-Covid and all necessary steps can be taken to sensitise the parents of those children with regards to the need for the education and steps have to be taken in order to provide clean atmosphere, good drinking water, the mid-day meal etc. with regards to bring back the drop out students to school.
The petitioner, Sayan Banerjee stated in the Public Interest Litigation moved that due to the disruption in education during pandemic, there being large number of students who dropped out from the government schools.
The court in the case stated that the petitioner, who is a practicing Advocate of this Court by way of public interest litigation highlighted a very important issue regarding to the drop out of students from various schools in the particular government schools.
However, it has also been suggested by the said court that a wide publication can be given in the media which includes television channels impressing upon the need for the good education and also the need for the children regardless of whatever strata the parents came from.
Further, it has also been stated by the court that this court hope and trust that the observations made by this court will be taken in the right spirit and the government needs to take pro-active steps to the grievance expressed.
Accordingly, the court disposed of the PIL.