Govt school students forced to do physical labour

Hyderabad: On one side where the Telangana State education board strictly condemns the abuse of children in private schools both physically and verbally, it is an irony that recently a government-run institute was found making students work like labourers only to justify it as a measure to tackle staff crunch.

A government school in Qutubullapur which is just minutes away from the local MLA's residence has resorted to the crime of forcing children to shift rice bags from one room to another during which a 6th class student Mahesh severely hurt his thumb finger.

On the fateful day, the child along with his classmates Shivaji, Naveen and Kalyan were directed by their faculty to remove rice bags from the staff room as they had become hindrances to their movement. The schoolchildren obediently lifted all the rice bags and also gathered rice grains which fell from a rat-bitten bag.

While shifting, the sacks of rice accidentally tumbled onto Mahesh throwing his finger between the door and wall where it got severely injured. Although the boy was immediately shifted to a hospital in Suraram, the management refused to give a proper explanation to his parents and asked them to talk to the headmaster.

In the meanwhile, a teacher of the school confessed that students are sometimes used to take up such activities since they were no staff for it. When enquired why no action was taken against the responsible faculty member, MEO Anjaneyulu assured that he would take stern measures once the parents complained.