KARUR: The district education department placed the headmistress of a panchayat union elementary school in Karur district under suspension after a video featuring two girl students cleaning a toilet on the campus went viral online.
Parents had demanded action against the school authorities as they came across the video. Subsequently, Karur Chief Educational Officer (CEO) MS Suganantham ordered an inquiry.
Elementary School Educational Officer N Murugesan initiated a probe and submitted a report. Thereafter, a suspension order was issued to school headmistress Poongodi. The CEO stated that the incident occurred a few days ago following the heavy rains. The girl students had volunteered to clear the rainwater that had stagnated in the toilet, he added.
However, he emphasised that schoolchildren should not be assigned such tasks even if they offer to volunteer. Citing negligence of duty, elementary school education officer suspended the headmistress and an order in this regard was issued on Tuesday.
According to official sources, around 30 students study at the panchayat union elementary school at Kalipalayam in Thanthonimalai union of the district.
The school has a total of two teachers, including the now-suspended headmistress.