Zion School told to pay Rs 5 lakh to Shrutis kin

Eight days after 6-year-old Shruti fell through a hole in her school bus and died, the Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation and Higher Secondary School’s Association on Friday said they had directed Zion Matriculation School to pay the toddler’s parents a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.

“The death of Shruti, is heart-rending and regrettable. Apart from ensuring that such mishaps do not repeat, we have directed the school to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the parents. Should they fail to do so, the association itself will compensate the parents in a couple of days,” state general secretary K R Nandha Kumaar said.

Stating that private schools have to contend with lots of problems, Kumaar and forum state president A Kanagaraj said they would happily let government take over their transport facilities. When suggested that to prevent accidents, the forum could insist schools admit students from its vicinity, Kumaar said, “Large schools would not abide by us.”

Acknowledging past week was “mishap week”, he said, “Blaming schools for mishaps is not right when the driver is at fault. Have ministers resigned after rail accidents occurred?”