The incidents of children going missing from the capital are showing an increasing trend this year with statistics showing that five minors disappear every day compared to three last year. So far this year, a total of 541 children were either kidnapped or went missing from the capital. This month alone, 164 cases were registered while last month the figure was 166. The latest case was that of one-and-half-year-old Ishaan, son of...

After successfully popularising free software in Kerala's schools, the IT@School Project of the Education Department has given shape to a State-wide awareness campaign aimed at exposing the everyday computer user to the possibilities and advantages of using Linux-based software. In the first phase of this campaign, one-day workshops will be held across the State during the summer months. Resource persons of the IT@School Project will demonstrate how there is a free...

Parents and educationists are concerned over posting of several primary school teachers in junior high schools, high schools and higher secondary schools in the four valley districts of Manipur. Students have complained that these teachers could not handle any subject. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, who is in charge of Education, has said the government will soon appoint an additional 1,300 primary and 600 graduate teachers. The selection test for teachers will...

Directs Centre to frame rehabilitation scheme for rescued children ‘Issue suitable notifications within two months to prohibit employment of children in circuses' Instances of children being forcefully detained, sometimes under extreme inhuman conditions The Supreme Court on Monday banned the employment of children in circuses and directed the Union government to take immediate steps to rescue those engaged in such employment. A Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A.K. Patnaik, passing orders on a...

India's Supreme Court has ordered circuses to stop employing children and instructed the government to rescue and rehabilitate working minors. Until a recently passed amendment, circuses were largely exempt from India's Child Labour Act which bans the employment of children under 14. But circus owners ignored the ruling and the court is now enforcing the ban. Circus professionals criticised the law, saying training from a young age is crucial for developing skills. "One can...