’Attend school or lose all the money’

Slumdog kids Azhar and Rubina may lose their trust fund if they continue bunking classes

'Attend school or lose all the money'

Slumdog kids Azhar and Rubina may lose their trust fund if they continue bunking classes

These days, Azhar isu00a0 showing up at school 37 per cent of the time, and Rubina has only a 27 per cent attendance rate, the trustee said.

"It's pathetic," said Noshir Dadrawala, who helps administer the Jai Ho trust established by the filmmakers to provide an education, living allowance and housing for the young stars. He blamed the children's busy schedule for their chronic truancy.

"They are constantly going to Paris and Cochin and Chennai," he said. "That's fine, but go over the weekend, not at the sacrifice of school."

The children's parents said the absences were due to deaths in the family and other problems and promised to get them to school from now on.

Classroom Blues: Azhar is only showing up at school 37 per cent of the time.

No class, no cash

Slumdog director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson said that the children's families "need to honour their part of the bargain."

"We are disappointed that Azhar and Rubina's school attendance remains patchy. We have urged both families to honour their commitment to ensure regular school attendance," they said.

Dadrawala said the Trust decided that if the children do not get their attendance above 70 per cent they will lose their monthly stipend of Rs 5,600.

If they fail to graduate, the kids will forfeit a lump sum payment set aside by the filmmakers for them.

The filmmakers have declined to reveal the amount in the Trust for fear of exposing the families to exploitation.

Azhar's mother, Shameen, said her son had been truant over the past two months because he was inconsolable after his father's death in September.

"He would cry often, so I kept him home from school," she said, promising his attendance would improve.

Rubina's father, Rafiq Qureshi, said she was not in school because her shanty was destroyed and she was cut on the leg by a piece of glass. "It will not happen next time," he added.

In July, Azhar moved out of Bandra's Garib Nagar slum into a one-bedroom apartment that the filmmakers bought for his family.

The Trust was also searching for a house for Rubina's family, but her father said the budget was not enough to cover the cost.

The homes are to be transferred to the children's names after they turn 18 provided they graduate from high school.

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