Row over expulsion of school students

Statesman News Service

MALDA, April 1: Teachers and members of staff council and academic council of Badnagra High School in Gazole are facing the wrath of guardians and local residents after the expulsion of five students of class VII and VIII for using unfair means in their annual examinations.The school authorities today informed the matter to the sub-inspector of the schools Mr Abdul Moim and sought his suggestion to handle the agitation of the local people.The head master of the school has sought police help to prevent any untoward incident during the demonstration to be staged tomorrow by the guardians in front of the school.The local residents including the guardians of the students led by a local club, backed by the local CPI-M and SFI leaders have complained against the teachers who belong to the CPI-M backed organisation ABTA.They are Mr Harun Al Rashid, Mr Pinaki Ranjan Sarkar, Mr Banshi Mohan Singh Sardar and Mr Abhijit Bagchi . It may be noted that a group of young teachers, recently appointed on the recommendation of the School Service Commission (SSC), some of whom are the members of academic and staff council, unanimously decided to take steps to check the usage of unfair means in school examinations in order to discourage the students from using unfair means in Madhyamik examinations.The school authorities cancelled the answerscript of a student after he was found using unfair means in school examinations and warned the other students that the school would expel them if they were found using unfair means in the examinations.Later the teachers identified five students of class VII and VIII during invigilation using unfair means in the examinations and expelled them according to the resolution of the school. Trouble broke out after the annual examinations got over a few days ago.The SI of school, Mr Abdul Moim reportedly suggested the school authorities to stand by their decision to expel the students.The district inspector of schools, Mr Chinmoy Sarkar said: “The decision of the school authorities is appreciable. The school authorities should gradually implement the decision through a process. The school authorities will have to face trouble if they take such drastic steps suddenly.”