TMB Report
Imphal: Director of Education (S) has sought a written explanation call from the Principal of Enlighten Knowledge Higher Secondary School, Sangakpam, Imphal East in connection with a
viral video in which a teacher of the school is shown canning girl students in front of their colleagues inside the school campus.
Director of Education (S) L Nandakumar in an office memorandum also warned of initiating action including de-recognition of the school and withdrawal of affiliation to Board of Secondary School Manipur (BOSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary School Manipur (COHSEM).
According to the official memorandum issued by Director Education (S), an unwanted incident of caning the students in front of other students is reported to have occurred at Enlighten Knowledge Higher Secondary School, Sangakpham, Imphal East on February 6.
A video clipping of the incident was also posted in Facebook and the incident is being criticised from various stakeholders of the education sector.
The Department of Education(S) views the incident very seriously and contemplating action towards the school administration as well as teachers/officials responsible for the incident under relevant Acts and rules, it stated.
It directed the Principal to explain as to why actions as deemed fit and proper under relevant Acts/Rules in existence, which may include de-recognition of the school or withdrawal of affiliation to Board of Secondary school (BOSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary School (COHSEM), should not be initiated against the school.
It further directed to submit the name of the teacher(s)/official(s) involved in the incident along with details viz fathers’ name, address, contact details, names of the victims/students along with their details viz fathers’ name, address and contact details to the Education Directorate by 4 pm of February 16.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Enlighten Knowledge Higher Secondary School P Saratchandra has said that he is ready to accept any punishment given by the government if he is found guilty.
Addressing reporters at the school complex on Thursday, Saratchandra said that his school regularly conducts cleanliness competition among the schools as moral education is also an indispensable part of education.
He said that following an assessment report from the teachers, one particular girls’ hostel room was found to be filthy and being a teacher as well as a father, he simply punished the students with the intention to shape their life career in positively.
However, a video footage taken by one staff of the school has gone viral on social media, he said.
“I am ready to give a reply to the explanation call served by the government. The government should also investigate whether uploading
such a video footage and a confidential official document of the Education Department on social media in a deliberate attempt to malign the image of the school and me is lawful or not,” Saratchandra said.
Expressing shock over the Education Department’s warning to de-recognise the school, he said that there were many instances of severely canning the students in certain schools including death of a student.
Pictures of victim students with bruise marks went viral on social media. At that time, no question of school de-recognition was mentioned. The warning to de-recognise EK Higher Secondary School for simply rebuking some students who failed to maintain discipline and rules and regulation of the school is very unfortunate, he lamented.
