RAIPUR: The district administration of Surguja has issued a show cause notice to the principal of Camrel School, Ambikapur for inviting a Christian religious teacher in school on the day of national holiday along instructing around 200 students to attend the program in school uniform.
In a letter issued on Wednesday, October 2, the administration has asked the principal of the school to appear before the district magistrate and submit a response over the aforementioned activities.
According to the details of the letter, the school administration continued operations at the school on the day of national holiday by organising a program of a religious teacher in school premises on October 2, defying administrative orders. The school administration had instructed around 200 students, mostly of a particular community to attend the school for the program in school uniforms.
The incident came to light, when the district administration was informed that students of the Carmel school were seen attending the school on the national holiday. Upon receiving the information, the concerned officials tried verifying the information with the principal of Carmel School over phone who in turn refuted the claims and assured that the school is closed on October 2.
However, the district administration was once again informed about suspected activities and movement of students in uniforms in the school premises by a few parents after which the officials of the education department paid a surprise visit to the school, leading to the discovery of around 200 students attending a program of a religious teacher. Additionally, a few of the guardians of the students were also found to be among the attendees of the program.
Upon inquiring about the gathering, the officials were once again misled by the principal, who informed that only the students belonging to a particular community have been invited for the event. However, a few of the parents attending the program complaint that many Hindu students have also been asked to attend the program of the Christian religious teacher.
Following the revelation, while the students were asked to return to their homes by the administration, the said religious teacher soon fled the spot, evading inquiry by the officials. Sensing the charging atmosphere, the principal then assured the officials not to repeat such activities in future.
The letter also highlights the previous controversial incidents linked to the Carmel school, reminding that the administration had to intervene and arbitrate at the time of Basant Panchmi, when permission was denied to celebrate Saraswati Pooja, leading to a law and order situation. It further has mentioned about an eight-month old incident linked to suicide of a minor student of the school.
The girl students had committed suicide after her identity card was snatched by a teacher namely, Sister Merci. A complaint against the said teacher was filed at the time of incident and the matter is still under consideration in the court.
According to the details of the letter, the district administration has asked the principal to submit its reply over following points: –
- Why was an attempt made to misled the officials by first denying about the presence of students in the school and later accepting the presence of about 200 students?
- Why were the students called in uniforms on the day of national holiday on Gandhi Jayanti? Was any permission for the same soughed from officials?
- What was the intent of school administration behind inviting a few Hindu students along with 200 students of a particular community in school?
- Why a religious teacher was invited in the school as religious education cannot be taught in schools?
- Were the students motivated about a particular religion or was there an intent to motivate them?
The administration in the letter has warned the school administration for unilateral action in case of failure of reply in the desired time. “Why should disciplinary action be not taken along with rejecting the affiliation of the school under the provisions of Free and Compulsory Child Education Rights Act 2010 and 2011,” stated the letter in the end.
12-year-old girl student committed Suicide
Notably, a 12-year-old girl student of sixth grade at Camrel School committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her house in Darripara of Ambikapur on February 6 this year, triggering a massive outrage among the locals against the school administration. The girl in the suicide note blamed one of her school teacher for harassing her.
Following continuous protest over the incident, the police later apprehended the accused school teacher Sister Merci and booked her for abetment of suicide. Mercy was later produced before a court from where she was sent to judicial custody.
नाबालिग छात्रा के आत्महत्या के मामले मे सरगुजा पुलिस द्वारा त्वरित कार्यवाही कर कार्मेल स्कूल की शिक्षिका सिस्टर मर्सी कों गिरफ्तार कर माननीय न्यायालय के समक्ष पेश कर न्यायिक अभिरक्षा मे भेजा गया हैं।@IGP_Surguja pic.twitter.com/iHqaxDB30m
— Surguja police (@Surguja_police) February 7, 2024
Following the incident, the school administration shut down operations at school for a week which once again sparked a row, prompting the Jila Abhibhawak Sangh (a body of the parents of students) to approach the administration, seeking action against the school administration’s decision to close the operation at school.
In a memorandum submitted to the administration, the parents body claimed that the school was closed in view of maintaining the law and order. However, despite that no protest has taken place after the arrest of the accused teacher, the school’s administration has declared leaves to exert pressure on the students and their parents. It further read that the school’s administration has already collected fees from the students but is deliberately misconducting with them, for which their affiliation should also be reviewed.
The parent body had also alleged the school administration for not issuing any grief over the suicide of the student till date, and instead of reviewing its conduct, the latter has been trying to pressurise the students and their parents mentally, which is a direct violation of the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children).
