COIMBATORE: The district Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department has launched an inquiry against the headmistress of the Government Tribal Residential Middle School (GTRMS) at Kunjurpathi tribal settlement for allegedly forcing students to clean the school toilets.
Photographs purportedly showing school children cleaning the toilets have been circulating on social media since Thursday.
A parent, on conditions of anonymity, told TNIE that around 40 students from Classes 1 to 8 were residing in the school hostel located near Palamalai in Coimbatore.
"The headmistress forced the students to clean the toilets, claiming that sanitation workers did not come to the school properly to carry out the cleaning work. As a result, the students faced health-related issues. The headmistress had recently begun following this practice," she said.
"Recently, when a student allegedly failed to complete her homework, the headmistress assaulted her with a stick, injuring her back. The girl's parent visited the school and argued with her," she said.
Following the allegations, members of the child welfare committee conducted an inquiry and submitted a report to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department.
In a complaint, the parents also alleged that the water tanks were unclean and contained frogs. They further alleged that the school's compound wall was in a dilapidated condition, teachers did not arrive at the school on time and food was not being served to the students.
Sources said, although the parents lodged a complaint against the headmistress on September 6, officials of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department allegedly failed to take action so far.
When contacted, a senior department official said an inquiry had been launched and disciplinary action had been initiated against the headmistress.
