TN Govt school faces action for making students clean toilets

Disciplinary action has been initiated against the headmaster and teachers of a school in Cuddalore, for forcing students to clean the institution's toilets, reports the Times of India. 

The institution in question is a Government High School in Orathur Village near Chidambaram.

The incident came to light, after some teachers who were reportedly against the practice, took a video of the students and sent it to a journalist in the district. Reports in the local media, allegedly alerted the administration.

The probe is being headed by Cuddalore Chief Education Officer R Balamurali and Chidamabaram RDO Vijayalakshmi. "We framed charges and issued a notice to the headmaster and all teachers of the Government school seeking an explanation within 15 days. In the meantime, we will conduct a thorough probe of the reported incident," said the Chief Education Officer to ToI. 

The Chidambaram RDO meanwhile told ToI that the probe will continue for the next couple of days and that the students have not raised any specific issue yet. 

This is not the first time that such an incident has come to light in the state of Tamil Nadu. In 2015, a group of seven teachers from a Government aided school were arrested in Tirunelvelli district after they reportedly made students clean the toilets. Police took action after receiving complaints from the parents of some Dalit children.