The head teacher of a government primary school in Dehradun has been suspended after the education department took action on a video showing school children being made to do manual work.
Students Seen Carrying Gravel and Sand
The video showed eight students lifting gravel with shovels and pans at Government Primary School, Banjarawala, located in Raipur block. Some children in school uniforms were seen carrying sand and soil on their heads, while others used spades and shovels to fill pans with it.
Department Confirms Incident and Suspends Head Teacher
The district education department confirmed that the children were indeed made to work and suspended the head teacher, Anju Manaduli, who had taken charge in July. She had been working at the school since 2009. District Education Officer Bharti said an inquiry has been ordered, and all five teachers of the school have been issued show-cause notices. The incident happened on Monday during the school’s lunch break.
Violation of Child Rights and Government Rules
The suspension letter mentioned that students were made to do manual labour, which showed the negligence and indiscipline of the head teacher. The letter stated that based on the video and reports received from social media and other sources, it was confirmed that students were given spades, shovels, and pans to lift sand and gravel. This act is a violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the Uttarakhand Department of Women Empowerment, and Section 13 of the Child Development Notification, 2011.
Inquiry Ordered, Head Teacher Defends Herself
The District Education Officer has appointed an inquiry officer to investigate the matter. The officer will conduct a fair investigation, issue a charge sheet to the Assistant Teacher, complete the departmental action, and submit the report within 30 days. The Secretary of Higher Education, Ravinath Raman, has also asked for a report from the Chief Education Officer, Dehradun. According to the Unified District Information System for Education, the school was established in 1949 and currently has 309 students. Meanwhile, Manaduli said she was unaware of the situation and that the students acted on their own. She explained, “We were constructing a rainwater harvesting tank, and the gravel and tools were left behind by the labourers. The students asked if they could spread the gravel over the muddy ground where rainwater had collected. I told them to wait for the labourers, but they went ahead without telling anyone. Before I could react, I received the suspension letter.” She added that the students come from a nearby slum area near the ISBT.
