Haryana teachers demand 'School safety act' after murder of Hisar educator; schools remain shut in protest
AMBALA: In the wake of the murder of Hisar-based school teacher Jagbir Pannu by a student, private school educators in Ambala staged a united protest demanding the immediate implementation of a ‘School safety act’ in Haryana. Over 100 teachers and school administrators submitted two memorandums on behalf of National independent school alliance (NISA) Trust and federation of private schools welfare association (FPSWA), Haryana to Ambala deputy commissioner Ajay Singh Tomar, addressed to the president, Prime Minister, and Haryana chief minister, respectively. The memorandum was received by Ambala city magistrate Abhishek.
All private schools in Ambala remained closed today in solidarity, suspending educational activities to highlight the growing threat to teachers’ safety in school premises. The protestors voiced deep concern over the increasing incidents of student-led violence in educational institutions. NISA president and FPSWA state president Kulbhushan Sharma said the private schools were kept closed across the entire Haryana state in protest on Wednesday.
The memorandum strongly urged the government to enact a School safety act in Haryana without delay. It also demanded that the deceased teacher, Jagbir Pannu, be accorded the status of a martyr, his family granted Rs 1 crore as financial compensation, and a government job be offered to one of his family members.
The educators further insisted that such heinous crimes should be fast-tracked in special courts and the culprits be handed the harshest punishment possible. They also called for a legal review of the definition of "minor" in cases of serious crimes, urging that juveniles involved in such brutal acts be tried as adults. A key proposal included in the memorandums is lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 years for such offences.
Kulbhushan, who led the protest, said, "The murder of a teacher by a student is not only a tragedy but a warning sign for our society. It should be declared a heinous crime, and we must ensure that minors are not misusing their legal protection to commit such acts fearlessly." He stressed that without ensuring a safe environment for teachers, a robust education system cannot be established.
"Teachers are the backbone of society, and their protection must be the government’s top priority,"
Sharma added
The unified voices of more than a hundred educators echoed a strong message to authorities: protect the protectors of knowledge, or risk the collapse of the education system.
All private schools in Ambala remained closed today in solidarity, suspending educational activities to highlight the growing threat to teachers’ safety in school premises. The protestors voiced deep concern over the increasing incidents of student-led violence in educational institutions. NISA president and FPSWA state president Kulbhushan Sharma said the private schools were kept closed across the entire Haryana state in protest on Wednesday.
The memorandum strongly urged the government to enact a School safety act in Haryana without delay. It also demanded that the deceased teacher, Jagbir Pannu, be accorded the status of a martyr, his family granted Rs 1 crore as financial compensation, and a government job be offered to one of his family members.
The educators further insisted that such heinous crimes should be fast-tracked in special courts and the culprits be handed the harshest punishment possible. They also called for a legal review of the definition of "minor" in cases of serious crimes, urging that juveniles involved in such brutal acts be tried as adults. A key proposal included in the memorandums is lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 years for such offences.
Kulbhushan, who led the protest, said, "The murder of a teacher by a student is not only a tragedy but a warning sign for our society. It should be declared a heinous crime, and we must ensure that minors are not misusing their legal protection to commit such acts fearlessly." He stressed that without ensuring a safe environment for teachers, a robust education system cannot be established.
"Teachers are the backbone of society, and their protection must be the government’s top priority,"
Sharma added
The unified voices of more than a hundred educators echoed a strong message to authorities: protect the protectors of knowledge, or risk the collapse of the education system.
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