Supreme Court: Ensure no break in education for Covid orphans

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 8

The Supreme Court has ordered the states and Union Territories to ensure that there is no break in the education of children who have become orphans or lost one parent during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The state governments/ Union Territories are directed to make provisions for continuance of education of the children both in government as well as in private schools,” a Bench led by Justice LN Rao said.

Other directives

• States/UTs should prevent NGOs from collecting funds in the name of pandemic-affected children
• Action should be taken against those indulging in illegal adoptions

“The other issues… relating to the protection of property rights of the children, further education of the children, employment opportunities, special care to be taken in respect of the girl child, will be taken up on the next date of hearing,” it said.

“The states/UTs are directed to take action against NGOs/individuals indulging in illegal adoptions,” the court said. It also directed the states and UTs “to prevent any NGO from collecting funds in the names of the affected children by disclosing their identity and inviting interested persons to adopt them. No adoption of affected children should be permitted contrary to the provisions of the JJ Act, 2015.”

The order came after Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj pointed out on behalf of the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights that certain NGOs were collecting funds in the name of the affected children and that their identity was being disclosed in public announcements by certain unscrupulous agencies and individuals who were inviting interested persons to adopt such orphaned children.