Dhanbad: Protests erupted outside a private residential school in Bapu Nagar on Saturday as parents claimed that the management was forcing students to perform domestic chores. Students who refused to comply were being assaulted, they further alleged.Parents who gathered on campus claimed students were being made to sweep classrooms and hostel rooms, clean toilets, assist in the kitchen and undertake other housekeeping tasks. Several children were allegedly beaten by the teachers after they refused to comply.Over 130 students are enrolled in the school, which offers education from Class 1 to Class 9. “My child was repeatedly pressured to perform cleaning work and faced harassment at the school,” Dinesh Kumar, a parent, alleged. Parents also claimed the school lacked adequate classrooms, playgrounds and other basic amenities. More than 20 children were living in one room.Principal of the school was not present on campus at the time of protest. While he could not be contacted for comments, school staff members declined to comment on the matter. Following the protest, several parents took their children home.“The parents have been asked to submit a written complaint,” Shalini Dungdung, district superintendent of education, said. She assured a formal inquiry and said appropriate action would be taken if the allegations are found to be true.
