Headmaster suspended, two teachers removed

Headmaster of a residential school in Kandhamal district of Odisha was suspended and two contractual teachers were disengaged following pregnancy and child birth of a class X student residing in its hostel.

Administration has also disengaged an Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) attached to the school. The school managed by the State Tribal Welfare department is located at Lingagad of the G. Udaygiri block. On January 23 night, a girl student of class X of the school gave birth to a boy in the hostel before she could be transported to local hospital. The two hostel superintendents as well as the school headmaster had remained silent about her advanced state of pregnancy.

Receiving information about this incident, Kandhamal District Collector N. Turumala Nayak and District Welfare Officer (DLO) P. Prusty visited the school for an on-the-spot enquiry. Speaking to

The Hindu on Tuesday, the DLO informed that headmaster Ashalata Pati has been suspended, and the two contractual teachers for Sanskrit and Hindi who were also hostel superintendents have been disengaged. Similar action was also initiated against the ANM attached to the school.

Following pregnancy, child birth of a Class X student residing in the school hostel