A teachers rowdy behavior has forced around 50 students to stay away from their school located in Sangerwani village of Pulwama district. The parents are so scared that they have now demanded to merge the school with primary school Chowtal in a neighbouring village.

The agitated parents alleged that a local teacher has brought the government primary school Peer Mohalla near to a closure.

The parents said that the school has been functioning in Sangerwani, a gujjar habitation around 60 kilometers from district headquarters in Pulwama where majority of residents live ridden with poverty.

 The parents further said that more than 50 students were enrolled in the school till June of current year but these days only five students are attending the school.

“Most of the parents were forced to stop sending their wards to the school”, said Muneer Ahmad, a parent adding that his two kids are sitting idle at home for past two months. He said that many parents have taken their kids out of the school and admitted them in neighbouring schools.

Around three students were forced to seek admission at primary school Gorse Mohalla, four to five at primary school Bajjard Mohalla and many at primary school Chowtal, a neighbouring village.

Another parent Altaf Ahmad said that he has stopped his daughter from attending the school.

“She is sitting idle at home but I have resolved not send her to the school,” he said.  Other parents, who have moved their wards from the school include Mohammad Ameen, Tufail Douee, Mohammad Iqbal, Mohammad Shabir, Altaf Shah and Ameen Plote.

Villagers of Sangerwani said that their kids were subjected to corporal punishment by a regularized Rehbar-e-taleem teacher after they brought his misconduct at the school before higher authorities of education department.

In a written complaint, the villagers had accused the said teacher for indulging in irregularities, depriving students from their rights by grabbing their scholarships and swindling mid day meal funds.

Subsequently, an enquiry was sought into the allegations by zonal education office Shadimarg and the teacher was put under suspension and attached with another school.

However, parents were forced to stop their children from going to the school when the household members of the suspended teacher started threatening them of dire consequences.

 Zonal Education Officer for Shadimarg Zone, Nazir Ahmad said that they had already put the teacher under suspension.

“The enquiry is going on, we will take a decision on the findings of the enquiry,” he said, adding that no action can be taken in haste.

The higher authorities of education department said that they have given a facelift to the school building and created further facilities for the students.

They said that parents or villagers will be given opportunity to choose the best of teachers out of Shadimarg zone for the primary school.

“The school is for them, it should remain functional. For this reason other schools in the vicinity were instructed not to admit students leaving from this school,” the authorities said.

However, parents don’t want to send their wards back to the school which is only few steps from the house of the concerned teacher fearing a backlash from households of the suspended teacher.

“His parents routinely interfere with the school management and harass students, we want authorities to merge the school with primary school Chowtal,” the agitated parents said.

Guest