CHENNAI: Government school campuses in Tamil Nadu have increasingly become venues for political visits and social media content featuring ministers and party cadres, with children often appearing in such videos.
A recent video involving Industries Minister S Keerthana has drawn criticism from child rights activists, who questioned the decision to publicly assess a student's English-speaking ability during a visit to a government school.
Keerthana visited a government girls high school last Thursday in Virudhunagar as part of an inspection. During the visit, she interacted with a student and asked a teacher to speak to the girl in English. As the student struggled to respond, the minister remarked on the English-speaking skills of students, particularly those seated on the last bench.
The video has triggered criticism from education stakeholders, who argued that such interactions place children from vulnerable backgrounds in an uncomfortable position.
Condemning the incident, A Devanayan, child rights activist and co-convener of TN Child Rights Watch (TNCRW), said, "We have been constantly raising concerns regarding the involvement of children by political parties in schools. Such incidents call for a strong Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) from the School Education Department and Minister A Rajmohan."
He said the video of the minister questioning both the teacher and the student could have lasting consequences.
"This is clearly a violation of child rights. Such behaviour is against the best interests and dignity of the child. If the child drops out of school due to embarrassment, will the minister take responsibility?" he asked.
Another child rights activist questioned whether the minister would conduct a similar assessment in private schools.
"This gesture is insulting to government schools in Tamil Nadu. By doing this, is the minister suggesting that students should leave government schools and enrol in private schools?" the activist said.