KRISHNAGIRI: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan officials on Thursday visited Panchayat Union Middle School in Ekkalnatham village and found that all five teachers of the school turned up for work late. The decision to visit the school was based on information shared by TNIE, which also visited the school a day before and found the teachers turning up for work late.
According to sources in the education department, two officers trekked to the school, based on instructions from higher officials.
"Headmistress Munilakshmi reached school by 9.45 am, two teachers by 9. 50 am and two others at 10.05 am. A report was sent to the Chief Education Officer Murugan," the sources said.
CEO Murugan, SSA coordinators Sardar and Ganesan not responded for calls. When TNIE visited the school on Wednesday, it found a class 7 student teaching class 1 and 4 students. When interacting with students, the headmistress K Munilakshmi reported to work after 10 am and another teacher K A Sailakshmi reported after 10. 30 am.
When asked about the delay, the HM said it was not a regular affair, even as she attributed the delay to the bad condition of roads and lack of transport facility. "We have to trek three kilometres to reach the school and even students are allowed to come late for ten minutes," the HM said, adding three other teachers took leave without informing her.
Ekkalnatham is a tribal village in Naralapalli panchayat of Krishnagiri block has over 200 houses with about 700 population, including caste Hindus, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Due to mud and hilly terrain, there is no transport facility and people have to trek about three kilometres to reach the foothill for their basic needs.
The Panchayat Union Middle School with a strength of 58 students (29 boys and remaining girls) is located in the village. The school has five government-appointed teachers, including headmistress.
A Anandan, a villager whose kid is studying in Class VII of the school, said teachers turning up for school late was a regular affair. When contacted, CEO Murugan asked villagers to file a complaint for officials to initiate an inquiry. Collector Dr S Prabhakar said that he will look into the issue.