JAGATSINGHPUR: A student of Naubellari Radha Padama Nodal UP School under Erasama block was injured while carrying fire wood for preparation of mid-day meals (MDM) in the school on Wednesday. She is Jamuna Samant, a Class VII student of the school.
While she was admitted to Erasama primary health centre (PHC), parents of other children in the school staged demonstration protesting the incident. They alleged that students are being frequently engaged by teachers in cleaning the school campus, latrines and helping members of a SHG in preparation of MDM in violation of the Right to Education Act. The Act prohibits students from being engaged in any work in the school campus.
Sources said the teachers had engaged students for shifting firewood to the kitchen in the school where MDM was being prepared. Jamuna was injured when a firewood fell on her leg. The irate parents demanded stern action against the errant teachers. The girl’s parents have filed a complaint at the Erasama police station in this regard.
On the other hand, headmistress of the school, Anjali Das refuted the allegation that Jamuna was asked to shift firewood. Rather, she claimed that the girl was injured after falling from a table while she was participating in a debate competition in the classroom.