RAYAGADA: You would not like to be ‘in the shoes’ of the four students of Rayagada’s Government Girl’s High School. For, they were forced to walk back home barefoot in Friday’s blistering heat for not conforming to the school uniform.
It was a punishment handed out to the four for turning up in slippers instead of the regular shoes which is part of the school uniform.
According to the children and their parents, the PET found four students without shoes during the morning prayer and inquired about the cause of violating the school uniform. Before the sudents could reply, the PET Bishnu Priya Devi asked them to leave their slippers in a room forcing them to stay barefoot during school hours from 6.30 am to 10.30 am. After the end of school, the girls requested the PET to return their slippers as it was extremely hot outside, they teacher allegedly refused.
Bishnu Priya had reportedly told the girls, who are students of Classed IX and X, that they would be given the slippers only when they come wearing shoes on next school day.
The girls approached Headmistress Neelima Choudhury who also warned them of punishment for not wearing shoes to school.
On failing to get their slippers back, they decided to walk back home without footwear. One of the girls developed boils after walking barefoot for nearly two kms on hot tar road.
Sujata Kausalya, a Class X girl, who stays at a place little more than 2 kms, could not resist the heat and sat down near a shop only to be helped a local going on a two-wheeler. The passerby said, he found the girl weeping, on inquiry learnt the reason of her pain and he decided to drop her home.
Reacting to the punishment, Sujata’s mother said she will take the matter to the Collector. As the school was closed the teacher and headmistress could not be contacted.
Additional District Magistrate Laxmikant Behera said, he will look into the matter.