BARIPADA: The district education officer (DEO) on Tuesday placed the headmaster of a government school under suspension after he discharged two students with transfer certificate (TC) for allegedly failing to pay a teacher who provided tuition.
Earlier, additional district magistrate Netrananda Mallick had directed (DEO) Purna Chandra Sethy to probe into the matter basing on a complaint from the father of the two siblings who are students of Chandanpur Middle English School in Baripada Sadar block.
After investigation, the DEO fixed responsibility on Rakhal Chandra Mahanta, headmaster of the school. Mahanta was later suspended.
As per norms, government teachers cannot provide tuition and receive money in exchange from students.
As per the complaint filed by Laxmidhar Murmu, his sons Krupasindhu Murmu (Class-VIII) and Chaitanya Murmu (Class-VI) were students of the school. He was allegedly paying `2,000 per month to Guraram Murmu, a teacher of the school who was in charge of the hostel and provided tuition to students.
Due to financial constraints, Murmu could not pay for the tuition for some months and requested the teacher for time to arrange the money. However, the teacher did not pay any heed and four days ago, the school apparently sent the siblings out of the school with their TC. Murmu is a native of Kenduchhatia village under Moroda block.