Mangaluru (TOI): The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has ordered the Department of Education to suspend a physical Education Teacher of a Government School in Sullia for inflicting corporal punishment on a STD V student.
The teacher, Balakrishna Naik of Government Higher Primary School, Ajjavara, had in 2013, allegedly assaulted an 11 year old boy studying in the school. The boy had suffered minor injuries due to the alleged assault and was treated as an outpatient at the Community Health Centre nearby.
This incident was brought to the notice of the School Development Monitoring Committee (SDMC) and on July 11, 2013 the committee passed a resolution to temporarily transfer the teacher to another school at Jatti Palya. The Education department had also reprimanded the teacher for his conduct.
Not satisfied with the action, which was in violation with Section 17(1) and (2) of RTE Act, K Nagaraj, member, Childline 1098 filed a complaint before the commission on October 9, 2013 demanding stringent action.
During the hearing the teacher did not dispute the fact that he had assaulted the student and the OPD slip gave the nature of injuries suffered by the victim were simple in nature.
After considering the points whether the victim was assaulted or not, the commission on October 17 this year recommended the department to suspend the teacher. Also, it noted that as the boy was admitted to another school but his brother was still studying in the same school, ordered that the school authorities not to harass or punish him. ``In case reports of corporal punishment against his brother is brought to the notice of the commission, the school head will be held responsible for the incident,'' the order stated.
The DDPI and BEO were not available for comments on the action they would take based on commission's order.
