Surat: A troubling trend has been witnessed in the Varachha area, with 603 students from 50 schools of the Municipal School Board (MSB) dropping out in the last month.
The Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG) claimed that the mass departure of students was a direct result of the recession in the diamond industry as artisans are moving back to their native places in large numbers. Meanwhile, MSB officials said 592 new students took admission on these vacated seats and every year a small number of students leave.
“If 603 students took leaving certificates (LCs) from schools in Varachha alone, the education department should investigate how many students took LCs from all private schools in the city. Due to the ongoing recession, a large number of diamond artisans have left the diamond industry and migrated away from Surat during the Diwali vacation,” said Bhavesh Tank, vice-president of DWUG.
DWUG has been demanding assistance for workers in the industry. “We demand that the govt announce a financial package for diamond artisans and launch the Ratnadeep Scheme. Ensure compliance with labour laws, establish an artisan welfare board, prevent suicides among artisans and provide assistance to their families,” said Ramesh Zilariya, president of DWUG.
Meanwhile, MSB officials said that every year some students leave schools while new ones take admission. “Against 603 students leaving schools, 592 students were admitted. It is possible that students took admission at other schools in the city or went back to their hometowns with their families,” said Rajendra Kapadia, chairman of MSB.
MSB officials say that the number of migrant workers in the city is high and every year a sizeable number of students leave school for various reasons. “A total of 2 lakh students study in MSB schools and every year many students quit. As a large number of students are from migrant families, many leave school to take admission at some other place,” said an officer of the MSB.
