Kendrapara: In a case of discrimination against the disabled, a visually-impaired teacher has been struggling to join the school where he has been transferred to by the department, thanks to non-cooperation of the concerned headmistress, a report said.
Jagannath Pati of Balirajpur under Bagada panchayat is 100 per cent disabled. He joined as a Sikhya Sahayak February 14, 2013 and was posted at Balipada nodal upper primary school in Pattamundai. In April that year, he was deputed to Shyamsundarpur UP School.
In last January, Pati made representations to the collector-cum-chairman of Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA) seeking transfer to a school in a nearby village on the plea that he struggled to reach the Shyamsundarpur UP School due to his disability.
The department January 25 transferred Pati to Sidhamarichani Bidyapitha at Bagada under Kendrapara block.
However, even after 18 days, the headmistress did not allow him to join the school.
“The headmistress did not give me an opportunity to join at Sidhamarichani Bidyapitha as I am visually-impaired,” Pati alleged.
He took up the matter with the block education officer and district project coordinator of SSA. The district project office of SSA March 3 transferred Pati to Khamarapada primary school under Kendrapara block.
However, Pati was also not allowed to join the school due to non-cooperation of the headmaster.
The teacher and his mother came to the collectorate Thursday seeking justice.
“For three months, my son has been sitting idle at home as he was deprived of joining the school due to non-cooperation of school managing committee and headmistress, the teacher’s mother Sabitri Pati.
BEO Paramananda Sahu said earlier the headmistress of Khamarapada primary school did not allow the teacher to join for which her salary was held up. However, later when she asked Pati to join the school, the teacher did not respond, Sahu claimed. Even the department failed to communicate with Pati, the BEO said.
Collector Debaraj Senapati said he has directed the BEO and DEO of Kendrapara to take steps to ensure that Pati joins Siddhamarichani Bidyapitha with immediate effect. Action will be taken against whoever creates problem in the teacher’s joining. PNN
