
ROURKELA: The in-charge headmistress of government-run Sihidia primary school in Bonai sub-division has been placed under suspension for negligence in duty after 15 tribal students escaped unnoticed from the school hostel on Tuesday night.
Bonai block education officer (BEO) Sunil Mundu said the suspension order was issued to headmistress Draupadi Sahu on Thursday after a fact-finding inquiry found her neglecting duty.
On the day, Sundargarh district welfare officer (DWO) Bhagirathi Patel convened a meeting of the welfare extension officers of all 17 blocks and heads of schools having hostels of the ST & SC Development (SSD) department. Patel said they were sensitised on the guidelines laid down towards hostel safety, security and management. They were also warned of stringent action for violating the norms.
The DWO said he would issue a show cause notice to the cook-cum-assistant (CCA) of Sihidia primary school. Sources said the administration is planning to disengage the CCA. However, taking such an action without following proper procedures may lead to court litigation.
Sihidia primary school is under the School & Mass Education (SME) department, but its hostel is run by the SSD department. Sources said the CCA was engaged by Bonai Integrated Tribal Development Agency and technically, the show cause notice should come from the ITDA. But as Vigilance raided the office of the project administrator of Bonai ITDA on Thursday, the DWO would serve the notice.
On Tuesday night, 15 of the 37 tribal students of Classes I to V fled from the hostel of Sihidia residential school. The children were later rescued by a patrol party of Barkote police in neighbouring Deogarh district from the road through a forest infested with wild animals. They were brought back to the hostel on Wednesday afternoon.