Students at a government school in Bhopal protested against a science teacher, accusing her of threatening to fail them, demanding project money, assigning school chores and beating students. The teacher denied allegations, calling herself strict but fair. Authorities said an impartial inquiry into the allegations will be completed within two days.
Students at a government higher secondary school in Bhopal staged a protest on Monday, accusing a science teacher of threatening to fail them, demanding money for projects, making them do school chores and physically assaulting some students. The teacher denied the allegations, while education officials shifted her to another school and ordered an inquiry into the claims.
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Protest outside Bhopal school
The protest took place outside Naveen Higher Secondary School in the Misrod area. Students, mainly from the Class 11 mathematics and biology streams, remained outside the school for nearly four hours.
The students alleged that the science teacher, identified as Babita Kushwah, threatened to fail them if they did not follow her demands. They also accused her of asking students to arrange benches, clean the premises and write roll numbers during UPSC and other recruitment examinations held at the school.
According to the students, they were even called to school on Sundays for such work.
“We come to school to study, not to work as employees,” the protesting students said.
They further alleged that Kushwah demanded money every month in the name of projects and told students that those who could afford it should study science. Some students also claimed she was frequently busy on her mobile phone during classes.
Students alleged that senior students had also been beaten with an iron pipe in their presence.
Teacher denies allegations
Kushwah rejected the allegations. She said she had been teaching since 1999 and was strict because she wanted her students to achieve good results in physics.
She denied demanding money from students or threatening to pass or fail them in exchange for payment. She also rejected the allegation that she made students clean the school premises.
Teacher shifted after protest
Misrod police station house officer Vimlesh Kumar Rai intervened during the protest and helped broker an understanding between the students and the school management.
District Education Officer Abhinav Arya assured the students that their complaints would be examined. The students returned to their classes around 2 pm.
Arya said the teacher had been shifted to another school and another physics teacher had been brought in for the students.
“The serious allegations against the teacher will be investigated,” Arya said, adding that an impartial inquiry covering all aspects would be completed within two days.
Naveen Higher Secondary School was established in 1962 and has 37 staff members. Kushwah had been teaching there since 2010.
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(With inputs from agencies)