Following complaints by parents, the headmistress and teachers were transferred from the Tanjavur school.
Published Nov 12, 2024 | 11:31 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2024 | 11:31 PM
Parents of students who were gagged after complaining to the district collector.
Three teachers, including the headmistress, of a school in Tanjavur were transferred after five Class 4 students, including a girl, were found with their mouths taped in the classroom.
It has been alleged that headmistress Punitha of the Ayyampatti Government Primary School near Orathanadu had put the cello tape over the students’ mouths till lunch recess to prevent them from talking in class on 21 October.
The incident came to light after the parents complained to the district collector. They complained that the students developed breathing issues after their mouths were taped for about four hours.
However, the headmistress and the students denied the charge. The girl student said a senior student had taped their mouths.
“The headmistress did not put the tape over the mouth,” the student was seen saying in a video. “A student came glued the tape on the mouth. After the tape was thrown into the dustbin, the teacher in charge of the third standard took a picture,” she added.
Headmistress Punitha said she had asked the teacher in charge of Class 2 to take care of Class 4 as well since a teacher was on leave. She denied sticking the tape on students.
Besides Punitha, teachers Murugeswari and Christy have been transferred.
Deputy Superintendent of Police at Orthanadu Shahnaz I said no police complaint has been made. “An investigation is being carried out by the Department of School Education regarding the Ayyambatti school issue. No complaint has been lodged with the police so far,” the officer said.
Section 17 of the Right to Education Act has banned corporal punishment in schools.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
