New Delhi: The headmistress of a school in Bengaluru was suspended after a video, purportedly showing students cleaning the school toilet, went viral, news agency PTI reported. This comes after a similar incident came to light earlier this week when students in Kolar were allegedly forced to clean the soak pit in the school.
In a video that went viral, some of the students were purportedly seen cleaning the toilet at a school in Andrahalli, following which, parents of students staged a protest demanding strict action against the school authorities.
Taking note of the matter, the education department suspended the headmistress of the school, PTI reported.
Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar held a meeting to inquire about the incident and assured strict action.
"We don't want such things to happen, we have taken care of it. The case has been filed, and the headmaster has been suspended. We don't want kids to be used for such kind of activities. We have doubled the maintenance charge for all the schools," Shivakumar told the news agency.
Noting that children should be raised well, Shivakumar said, “We shouldn’t exploit children. Earlier NSS, Seva Dal camps use to impart training to kids to clean the garden, planting saplings but we haven’t given anyone permission to rope in children for cleaning the toilets.”
Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa condemned the incident and termed it “shocking and deplorable”.
"There is no doubt that we will take the strictest action as per law. Further, I will ensure that such incidents don't recur and will ensure that necessary action is taken by our department,” PTI quoted the minister as saying.
Earlier this month, the principal and two staffers of a school in Kolar were suspended over allegations that some students were made to clean the soak pit on its premises.