A former Corporation councillor has alleged that students of Corporation Schools were being made to sweep the classrooms.
M.S. Velmurugan, formerly an Independent councillor who represented the old Ward 57, said that despite the presence of paid workers in all Corporation schools, students were being made to clean the classes in certain schools.
The students were being told to treat this on par with cleaning work they carry out during National Service Scheme (NSS) camps.
“This is unacceptable as during the camps the students are given protective masks. Further, the schools have staff employed to clean the premises. As such, how could the students, who had come to study, be asked to clean the classes,” he wondered.
Another wrong practice, he said, was that many students were being asked by the Head Masters and teachers to run errands such as fetching tea, which was also deplorable.
Mr. Velmurugan also claimed of irregularities in the disbursement of educational aid for students from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes categories. Many students who changed schools and those who had completed Standard XII were facing difficulties in availing themselves of educational aid.
When contacted, Corporation Education officials said that a circular had been issued to all Head Masters warning them against asking students to sweep the floors of schools. Regarding the educational aid, the officials said that it was being given only through cheques directly to the parents of students leaving little scope for irregularities.
Chairperson of the Corporation Committee on Education, Parks and Playgrounds R. Shanthamani said that it was news to her that at Corporation schools students were forced to clean classrooms. The Committee would take a serious view of this and would carry out surprise inspections, she added.
