1 week ago
Family Attack Highlights India’s Public-School Crisis and Political Violence
Sheikh Abdul Hafiz wanted to check whether his village school had the facilities children need.
He was part of a campaign asking people to inspect government schools.
Soon after his visit, his family was attacked, and his father died from his injuries.
Police arrested eight people, including a BJP leader.
The article says the attack shows how dangerous political conflict can become.
It also says many government schools lack electricity, water, toilets, teachers, and good classrooms.
Some children, especially disadvantaged children, are struggling to learn basic reading skills.
Hafiz said he wants better schools rather than money for himself.
He believes improving education can help an entire generation.
Sheikh Abdul Hafiz inspected his former government primary school in Karisunda for the “School Thik Karo” campaign.
Hours later, his family was attacked and his father, Sheikh Mohammad Mafik, died from his injuries, according to the article.
Police arrested eight people, including a BJP leader, in connection with the attack.
The article cites school closures, inadequate facilities, staffing problems, and learning gaps as signs of India’s education crisis.
Hafiz reportedly rejected compensation and called instead for a school to be named after his father.
- Who
- Sheikh Abdul Hafiz, his father Sheikh Mohammad Mafik, the School Thik Karo campaign, and people arrested by police, including a BJP leader.
- What
- Hafiz inspected a government school, after which his family was attacked and his father died; the article connects the incident to wider concerns about public education.
- Where
- The school visit took place in Karisunda, West Bengal; the campaign was launched in Hingoli district, Maharashtra.
- When
- The campaign was launched on August 15, and the family attack occurred hours after Hafiz’s school visit on that date.
- Why
- Hafiz was documenting school facilities and advocating better education; the article says the family attack followed his visit, but does not establish an official motive.
Key facts
- Campaign
- “School Thik Karo,” launched by Abijeet Dipke on August 15.
- School inspected
- A government primary school in Karisunda where Hafiz had studied.
- Fatality
- Hafiz’s father, Sheikh Mohammad Mafik, died after the family was attacked.
- Arrests
- Police arrested eight people, including a BJP leader.
- School closures
- The article cites a NITI Aayog report saying about 94,000 government schools closed over the past decade.
- Enrollment share
- Government schools’ share of total enrollment reportedly fell from 71% in 2005 to 49.24% in 2024–25.
- Learning gap
- The article cites a survey finding that only 25% of Grade 3 children could read a few words.
- Hafiz’s request
- He reportedly declined compensation and asked for a school to be named after his father.
Quotes
Sheikh Abdul Hafiz
CPJ member and representative of the School Thik Karo education campaign
“That is how I ended up in movements around education and how I ended up at Jantar Mantar. Thousands of young people had gathered there demanding better education. After seeing that, I understood that sitting at home and criticising is not enough. You have to go out, identify the problem, and then demand a solution.”
freepressjournal.in
“I have always believed the country comes before the individual. For as long as I live, I want to work for this country and its people. If education falls behind, the future cannot be secured. So instead of personal compensation, I want a whole generation’s future to be built.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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