Bengaluru school ‘fails’ UKG student; faces flak from netizens, gets notice

BENGALURU: A school at Deepahalli near Huskur Gate in Anekal taluk has come under fire from netizens for failing a UKG student. Former Primary Education Minister Suresh Kumar tweeted about the incident while the child’s father too posted about it on social media.

The St Joseph Chaminade Academy at Deepahalli near Huskur Gate.

The BJP leader put out a tweet questioning what the school authorities intended to do to the child and added that he informed the Education Department as soon as it was brought to his attention. The child B Nandini’s father Manoj Badal too put out a social media post stating that the school management refused to do anything in the matter.

After the incident came to light, Block Education Officer (BEO) Jayalakshmi J M issued a notice to St Joseph Chaminade Academy on February 8, pointing out that children should not be failed till Class 9 as per policy, and seeking an explanation on how a UKG child was failed. The notice also warned of cancellation of registration in case the school management is at fault.

On Thursday, the school principal wrote back to the BEO claiming that no student has been failed and that the issue was related to a unit test conducted before the winter vacation in December. It also said that the school management has asked the software company to change the word ‘fail’.

Saju Chittadiyil, Principal of St Joseph Chaminade Academy, blamed it on software error and said that the child had secured C grade, but the app showed her as failed. The issue was brought to the notice of Manoj Badal through email, but he replied that he is out of station, the principal claimed.

St Joseph Chaminade Academy Principal Saju Chittadiyil said they have written to the software company to rectify the mistake.

“We use an app for sending homework and daily communication with the parents. In that app, it is mentioned as ‘fail’ by default if anybody scores less than 35 per cent marks. That is where the issue has cropped up. We have contacted the software company on February 2 and asked them to change the word ‘fail’ in the software. They are working on it and they have said they will change it at the earliest. We have called the parents of the child multiple time to come and meet us to that I can explain to them, but they refused to come. We don’t fail anybody and everybody will be promoted to the next class at the end of the year”, Saju Chittadiyil said.