Angul: In a clear breach of norms, students of a primary school in this district were seen toiling hard to clean the scooter of a lady teacher after being allegedly asked by the latter, a report said Wednesday.
The incident is from Amantpur Primary School under Banarpal block in this district where minor students were found cleaning the scooter of a lady teacher Sanjukta Majhi instead of attending their classes. The incident has sparked an uproar in the district.
While the students were found bringing water in buckets from a distance and cleaning the stains on the scooter with cloth, Majhi was found holding a stick and instructing them to clean all dirt and mud stuck on her vehicle. The students were not only cleaning the upper part of the scooter but even rubbing off all grime and dirt stuck on tyre and the engine.
The matter came to the fore after a guardian who was passing by the school noticed the students washing the scooter and stopped to enquire from the school authorities.
He expressed resentment and video-recorded the whole act on his mobile phone and enquired from Majhi on the legitimacy in engaging the minor kids to clean her scooter.
Majhi replied bluntly that it was Guru Seva (service to the teachers), which needs to be done by the students to display their loyalty and respect to the teachers.
Majhi even did not stop directing the students to clean the scooter despite fully knowing that the guardian standing near her is video recording the whole act.
When contacted, Majhi said she arrived at the school at 10 am and cleaned the garbage and cow dung strewn near the school gate. She denied directing the students to clean her vehicle. She claimed the students themselves expressed interest in cleaning the vehicle which was stuck in mud while coming to the school.
Headmistress Parbati Gaana confirmed the development stating that she has warned Majhi not to engage students in her personal work.
ADM Srinivas Behera said to have directed the project coordinator of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan to probe and report on the incident. PNN
