Why send barefeet children home: Parent

PARENTS of students attending Wau Primary School in Bulolo district, Morobe, are concerned about the sending home of children who do not wear shoes.
One of the parents, who asked not to be identified because of his children’s safety, said the school had since August been sending home the bare-feet children.
“We parents were irritated by the  school head’s actions because half of them who did not wear shoes were not allowed in class which deprived their rights to education,” the parent said.
Attempts to get a comment from the headmaster in the past two days were unsuccessful. The telephone voicemail said: “The number you have called is temporary out of service.”
The father said the parents disagreed with the action because “we send our children to school to get knowledge”.
“We are bringing this out to let the provincial education board (PEB) know about it,” he said.
He said many parents in rural areas could not afford to buy socks and shoes for their children.
“On behalf of the parents I call on the PEB to look into this matter and tell us whether what the headmaster has done is compulsory,” he said.