Hyderabad school doesn't allow children to drink water, parents allege

Parents of children studying in a Hyderabad school have alleged that authorities punish pupils who wish to drink water in school.

Students of St. Andrews School in the Bowen-pally area of Hyderabad have allegedly instructed pupils to drink minimal water during school hours as the school doesn’t  have water adequate water supply. 

Chandrajeet Singh (36), parent of a Class 3 student, says that students are first denied permission to drink water. “If they approach the teacher again, they are punished. They also lock the washrooms so that kids can't use them. My son’s water bottle is always full when he returns,” Singh says.

Singh says he does not understand the actions of the school. “If they can't provide drinking water, at least let children drink from their own water bottles. Despite paying such high fees, our kids are suffering. I will shift my kid to another school if this continues,” he said.

He also claimed that a Class 3 student had been hospitalised because the child fell sick. “Some of the students have suffered from dehydration and other health issues,” Singh says.

Chairperson of the Joint Action Committee Aravinda, said, “The management is playing with the health of kids. Parents say that the management does not allow the kids to drink water because they would have to use the washroom. The washrooms are kept open only during breaks. Can’t the management procure water with the kind of fees they are charging?”

Singh claims that parents who went to the school on Friday to discuss these issues with the management were locked up in the school for around three hours. “We will protest until we get justice. On Tuesday the Deputy District Education Officer came and listened to our problems. We hope we get help from him.”

When contacted, school headmistress Shomita Bhattacharya declined to comment.