Students made to sweep school clean for polling

ROURKELA: It’s not just lack of amenities and step motherly treatment the students of government-run schools have to cope with in the State. Children studying in a primary school in Bisra block are assigned jobs that are definitely not a part of their course curriculum.The students of Bada Ramloi Primary School, about 24 km from Rourkela, were made to sweep and mop the floors on Friday. Reason: The headmaster allegedly wanted the school spic and span for the polling to be held on Saturday.Sources said around 25 students were pressed into service to thoroughly clean the school. The children were seen sweeping the school premises and carrying water pots heavier than themselves. Why? They could not disobey their school headmaster.  This is not for the first time that the students have been engaged in the cleaning job. Some girl students engaged in the work informed that they do these jobs whenever other functions are organised as they are asked to do so by their ‘Sir’. On Friday they were assisted by a woman cook of the school, Buring Munda, in their work.  Stating that he was unaware of the incident Bisra Block Development Officer  Khageswar Patra said an inquiry would be carried out to ascertain the facts.