THE SUPREME COURT DIRECTS THE STATES FOR ENSURING EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WHO HAD TO DROP OUT DUE TO COVID- 19, SEEKING FOR IMPLEMENT NCPCR SUGGESTIONS

The Supreme Court in the case In Re: Children in Street Situations and In Re Children in Need of Care and Protection Due to Loss of Parents observed with respect to ‘the serious problem of discontinuance of education of children caused due to pandemic and other situations which we cannot envisage and the court further emphasized the orders and the suggestions put forth by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and asked the State Governments to publicize it.

The Court ordered that the nodal officer shall also take immediate action to get back the children who have continued education and to personally inform those parents whose children have discontinued about recommendations made by NCPCR. Thereafter it is said that a Nodal officer will be appointed who in turn shall instruct Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, health workers etc. A Nodal Officer can be from either Education Depart or from the Women and Child Welfare Department, the directions issue by the Court to the Union Territories and the State Government.

under Section Rule 2B (2) of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Rules, an officer shall be appointed for implementation of suggestions made by NCPCR further it is stated that the children who are not attending school and have dropped out of school, should be identified by the nodal officers for every district.

the efforts of the Court might be diluted if it does not benefit the children who are in dire need of protection but are not aware of the orders, Ms. Sobha Gupta contended appearing on behalf of We the Women of India organization apprised the Bench, that the order passed by it needs to be publicized.

to publicize the suggestions made by NCPCR, Justice Rao asked the State Government to suggest their plan of action by considering the above-mentioned situation,

How the children will be informed by the State Government?

By adding to this Justice Gavai contended that at every district there is a Woman and Child Development Officer and they can be appointed as the Nodal Officer.

The bench comprising of Justice L. Nageswara Rao and the justice B.R. Gavai observed and directed that either from the Education Department or Women and Child Welfare Department a Nodal Officer be appointed by the State Governments and the Nodal Officer would instruct Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, health workers etc. to personally inform the parents whose children have discontinued education due to the pandemic, about recommendations made by NCPCR. The Court further mentioned that the newspaper might not be the most effective mode of disseminating information in the present case.