Gundri students can now get home early
Senthil Kumaran | TNN | Jan 5, 2018, 06:24 IST
ERODE: A day after TOI published a report on the gruelling daily schedule of school and college students living at Gundri and 26 surrounding hamlets in Erode district, Tamil Nadu school education minister K A Sengottaiyan, who hails from the district, ordered officials to do a ground check. The minister told this correspondent that he ordered transport officials to divert a bus to pick up students at 3.30 pm from Kadambur, where the school is situated. He also ordered the school authorities to allow students from Gundri to leave at 3.20 pm to catch the bus.
TOI reported on Thursday that children from the region had to leave home for school around 5 am to catch the lone bus to Kadambur, 19km away, and they get back home at 10 pm.
The announcement has come as a big relief for people of the region. "We are happy that our children will come back home at 5 pm instead of 10 pm," G V Ravichandran, a parent told TOI. He said the state government had finally woken up to their long-pending plea after the news report appeared.
A total of 32 students, 18 of them girls, studying Class XI and XII in the government higher secondary school at Kadambur, besides 18 students, including seven girls, studying in the Government Arts and Science College in Sathyamangalam, 54km from Gundri, take the dawn bus and return late at night. If they miss the bus, it means an arduous trek through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.
When told about the children's ordeal, Sengottaiyan said on Wednesday that he would convene a meeting with transport department officials on Sunday to discuss the issue. However, on Thursday he contacted education and transport officials and passed the necessary orders. He said the possibility of operating buses suitable to school timings was being explored. The transport officials told the minister that they would operate a bus at 3.30 pm to Gundri from Kadambur. The minister also ordered Erode district chief educational officer (CEO) R Balamurali to ensure that students from the Gundri region are allowed to leave their classes at 3.20 pm to catch the bus.
"I have helped the students to return home before dusk," Sengottaiyan told TOI. He said he will check the possibility of operating another bus at 8 am.
Balamurali confirmed that he has received the order. "I have given directions to the school headmaster based on the minister's order," he said. Transport officials said they have directed the bus driver and the conductor to pick up Gundri students even if they come at 3.30 pm.
School upgradation to be studied: CEO
Senthil Kumaran | TNN | Jan 5, 2018, 06:24 IST
ERODE: A day after TOI published a report on the gruelling daily schedule of school and college students living at Gundri and 26 surrounding hamlets in Erode district, Tamil Nadu school education minister K A Sengottaiyan, who hails from the district, ordered officials to do a ground check. The minister told this correspondent that he ordered transport officials to divert a bus to pick up students at 3.30 pm from Kadambur, where the school is situated. He also ordered the school authorities to allow students from Gundri to leave at 3.20 pm to catch the bus.
TOI reported on Thursday that children from the region had to leave home for school around 5 am to catch the lone bus to Kadambur, 19km away, and they get back home at 10 pm.
The announcement has come as a big relief for people of the region. "We are happy that our children will come back home at 5 pm instead of 10 pm," G V Ravichandran, a parent told TOI. He said the state government had finally woken up to their long-pending plea after the news report appeared.
A total of 32 students, 18 of them girls, studying Class XI and XII in the government higher secondary school at Kadambur, besides 18 students, including seven girls, studying in the Government Arts and Science College in Sathyamangalam, 54km from Gundri, take the dawn bus and return late at night. If they miss the bus, it means an arduous trek through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.
When told about the children's ordeal, Sengottaiyan said on Wednesday that he would convene a meeting with transport department officials on Sunday to discuss the issue. However, on Thursday he contacted education and transport officials and passed the necessary orders. He said the possibility of operating buses suitable to school timings was being explored. The transport officials told the minister that they would operate a bus at 3.30 pm to Gundri from Kadambur. The minister also ordered Erode district chief educational officer (CEO) R Balamurali to ensure that students from the Gundri region are allowed to leave their classes at 3.20 pm to catch the bus.
"I have helped the students to return home before dusk," Sengottaiyan told TOI. He said he will check the possibility of operating another bus at 8 am.
Balamurali confirmed that he has received the order. "I have given directions to the school headmaster based on the minister's order," he said. Transport officials said they have directed the bus driver and the conductor to pick up Gundri students even if they come at 3.30 pm.
School upgradation to be studied: CEO
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