Doctored register

They collected some medicine from the nearest primary health centre at Naigaon and began handing them out to students complaining of minor ailments like headache, fever or wound. Classroom attendance shot up to 100 per cent and now even the parents are demanding similar treatment.

8216;8216;Due to the distance, villagers avoided visiting a doctor. So ailing children were kept indoors, administered household remedies,8217;8217; says Tadage. 8216;8216;That8217;s why we opened a small first-aid centre in the school.8217;8217;

Given their lack of medical knowledge, both Tadage and his colleague Anil Shinde are aware of the pitfalls. So, the duo stocks up only mild painkillers and bandages. The names of drugs and dosage are noted down in consultation with doctors, keeping in mind the age of the 53 pupils. 8216;8216;If the child8217;s condition doesn8217;t improve, we refer him to the primary health centre,8217;8217; Shinde says.

The experiment has worked. 8216;8216;Our children now have no excuse to bunk school,8217;8217; says Karbhari Gopane, adding, 8216;8216;Even we should get medicines.8217;8217;

However, Zilla Parishad District Health Officer Dr Motiram Kamble and the Education Officer Primary, Dashrath Pawar, are taking it with a pinch of salt. 8216;8216;We have not authorised any teacher to administer medicines to students. We can8217;t allow our teachers, who have no medical qualifications, to become doctors,8217;8217; says Dr Kamble.

Pawar says, 8216;8216;it is too risky8217;8217; but confirmed that attendance has improved.