Kerala school again turns its back on HIV positive children

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Kerala school turns its back on HIV kids

Tiruvananthapuram • The five HIV positive children in Kerala's

southern town of Kottayam, sent out of school last year, failed to

get readmission in the new academic year as the school feared

backlash from fellow students' parents.

The children, in the 5-11 age group, would be confined to Asha Kiran

Orphanage where they would receive special coaching from teachers

attached to Mar Dionysius Lower Primary School at Pampady in

Kottayam.

It was the local media that had blown the lid off the kids' identity

through flashy reports about their Aids Day performance on December 1

last year, after which the kids had to leave the school. Ever since,

a protracted war has been on between school authorities and the State

Government on the question of allowing the children to attend regular

classes.

All five children were studying in primary and pre-primary classes

when the authorities shut the doors on them, following protests from

other parents.

The latter had threatened to pull out their wards if the positive

kids were allowed to go to classes along with other children.

The Education Department played down the issue, hoping to bring other

parents and guardians to a negotiated settlement through cajoling and

persuasion. Education Minister M A Baby and Opposition leader Oommen

Chandy intervened but the children's plight continued.

However, the school authorities let the kids train privately and

write the annual exams.

Asha Kiran orphanage authorities ensured that all kids passed the

exams, hoping the school would see reason in the new academic year

and re-admit the students.

" I'd tried to convince them that segregation harmed the kids more

than the disease itself. I should admit they are scared though

convinced of the right course action, which is to put the kids back

to school " , said orphanage secretary P C Yohannan.

Yohannan incidentally is faced with a piquant situation since he runs

another unaided, elite school where he could enroll the affected

kids. But for fear of parents there, he dare not try that

alternative.

Efforts have begun at the highest level to ensure that the issue is

resolved, lest it should blot the fair name of the State. This is not

the first instance of HIV kids being sent out of school in Kerala.

Benson and Benzy and Akshara and Ananthu, all siblings, had to stay

out for long spells after schools sent them off.

Benson and Bensy had staged a fast-unto-death before the State

Secretariat in 2002 to get admission in a school while Akshara and

Ananthu were expelled from school in north Malabar three years ago.

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