Bhopal: Latecomers made to cut grass, pick garbage; schoolgirls protest
What's the story
Students of Sarojini Naidu Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Bhopal staged a protest on Wednesday against severe disciplinary measures imposed by the school's female administrator.
The students alleged that they were punished for arriving 10-15 minutes late to school.
"Merely because we got late by 10-15 minutes, the school administration forced us to remove grass from the ground and made us stand in the Sun," a student said in a viral video.
Property damage
Protest escalates into property damage at Bhopal school
Meanwhile, Times Now reported that the girls were made to clean bathrooms and pick up garbage as a form of punishment.
In the video, the students can be seen damaging school property, including classroom furniture, ceiling fans, electronic gadgets, windows, and doorglasses.
Following the protest, the school's female administrator, former armed forces captain Varsha Jha, was dismissed from her position by authorities.
Jha had only been appointed a month prior to this incident and has since apologized to the students.
Administrator removed
School administrator removed following student protest
Local media reports claim that the the students were also upset over the school timings.
They added that schools conclude at 6:00pm, which poses a challenge for many girls who reside in remote areas.
The director of Madhya Pradesh government's Education Department visited the school to assess the situation, after which an inquiry into allegations of ill-treatment and poor school facilities was ordered.
Twitter Post
Video of the protest
#WATCH | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | Students
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) September 4, 2024of Sarojini Naidu government school vandalise school property allegingharsh treatment by the discipline incharge and seeking her removal and unhygienic toilets in the school pic.twitter.com/oWLVYbuZpo
Investigation underway
Inquiry ordered into allegations of ill-treatment at school
District Education Officer (DEO) NK Ahirwar stated that action would be taken following an inquiry into allegations of students being forced to clean toilets.
"After hearing from students, it seems the behavior of Varsha Jha was not good toward them. It seems she used to deal with them very strictly," he said.
The school administration has denied these claims, insisting teachers do not punish students as alleged.