On August 17, 2012,Rupa (name changed) would have celebrated her 17th birthday. Rupa had succumbedto her injuries on July 27, three days after she set herself on fire. It isindeed very sad that the life of a young child has come to an end in thistragic way. The girl, in her dyingdeclaration to the magistrate, stated that she took this drastic step as “shefeared for her life after the High Court of Bombay granted bail to the teacher”on July 10.
This brings us to animportant question of how safe are children in schools in Goa? What business had the accused to visit hisstudent at her residence in Panjim, pick her up and take her to his flat inRibandar? How many more children has hetaken to his flat we will probably never know? The education department needsto send a circular immediately to all schools that no teacher henceforth willtake their students home. Any kind ofcoaching, counseling or help should be given to the child only on the schoolpremises and during school hours preferably.
It is commonknowledge that many teachers in the guise of helping children take them homeand get their household chores done through them. At a meeting held at Panjim square on July29, Ms Tara Kerkar, a social activist from Vasco mentioned that some teacherseven ask their students to run errands to get them their drinks andcigarettes. There are cases where theteacher and student have been found drinking together in bars. Schoolprincipals, the teaching staff and the managements are often aware of thisunhealthy comradeship but turn a blind eye. The case of Rupa being sexually abused by her teacher is not the firstof its kind in Goa.
With the death ofRupa, school children in the state henceforth are going to look at theirteachers differently. The respect theycommanded in years gone by has now vanished into thin air. It is a matter of disgrace that nobody fromthe school of the victim girl gave her any assistance, since it is very likelythat with a little help, Rupa would have cleared her standard 10 exams andmoved on. The ‘civil society’ has alsofailed Rupa miserably. It is only afterher death that a small group of people came together to condole and expressanguish at the death of Rupa.
Rupa’s life did nothave to come to such a ghastly end. Herdeath has raised questions about the kind of educational institutions that arebeing run in the state. The character ofteachers imparting education has also come under the scanner. It has now become clear that educationalinstitutions in the state of Goa have no support structures in place. Had Rupa been counseled and fortified, shewould have probably been able to confront her abuser, overcome her blues andlive life normally like every other child her age. Will the government of Goa atleast now takesteps to see that our children are protected, whether on the school campus,playground or their home?
