Bengaluru’s private schools defy government holiday order, parents upset
Bengaluru: Several private schools, mainly those affiliated with CBSE and ICSE, conducted classes on Monday, despite the government declaring a holiday in the early hours due to heavy rains.
Among these schools is one managed by a trust run by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Parents who adhered to the government’s announcement and kept their children at home were surprised to find their children marked absent.
“I was shocked to receive a message from the school at 11.40 am, saying my son was absent. I had kept him home following the government's holiday announcement, but the message indicated regular classes were being held,” said a parent whose child attends Little Flower Public School in Banashankari 2nd Stage.
Another parent, whose children study at National Hill View Public School in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, managed by DK Shivakumar’s trust, said they went to the school for clarification after receiving no communication. School authorities informed them that there was no holiday. “For those living nearby, it might not be an issue, but what about parents who live far and depend on private transport? Who will be responsible if the vehicle gets stranded?” the parent asked.
In response, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner Jagadeesha G instructed the Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPI) of Bengaluru South and North to issue notices to schools that did not comply with the holiday order. “Though the announcement was late due to the delayed alert, it was the responsibility of all schools to prioritise student safety. Based on complaints, we’ve issued notices to non-compliant schools,” he said.
According to Ningarajappa KB, DDPI of Bengaluru South, 15 schools have already been issued notices, and more may follow as complaints continue to arrive. In North Bengaluru, the Education Department is compiling a list of schools based on parent reports.
However, the late announcement caused significant inconvenience for many parents. Children who had already left for school by 7 am had to be picked up after parents were informed of the holiday. Some schools have now advised parents to monitor news for rain alerts and holiday notifications in the coming days.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Telangana Task Force arrests Motivational Speaker Munawar Zama in idol vandalism case
In a significant development, the Telangana Task Force (T TASKF) arrested popular motivational speaker Munawar Zama and two hotel owners from Maharashtra today. The arrests are connected to the vandalism of an idol at a temple near the Secunderabad passport office, an incident that occurred during the night of October 13-14.
The primary suspect in the case, Salman Thakur from Mumbai, was staying at one of the Metropolis Hotels in Maharashtra during a personality development program. The police had previously arrested Thakur in connection with the incident, noting that many hotel rooms were rented by the organizers of the English Development program.
Authorities are expanding their investigation into the matter, with Munawar Zama and the hotel owners identified as key figures in the probe. While there is currently no evidence to support claims that Munawar delivered a hate speech, it is alleged that he provoked students, which led to the vandalism of the idol. Following this, the police took action, resulting in the arrest of the hotel owners and Munawar today.
