Karnataka School Exploitation: Students Forced To Clean Toilets And Perform Gardening Duties For Principal

In another distressing case of student exploitation, pupils at Maulana Azad government school in Kalaburgi, Karnataka, have allegedly been forced to clean school toilets and perform gardening duties at the Principal’s residence, according to several media reports. The Principal of Maulana Azad Model English Medium School is accused of engaging in this exploitative behavior for the past year. These schools, established by the Karnataka government under the Directorate of Minorities, are situated across the state.

A complaint letter filed at the Roza police station by a concerned father of a student from the same school has called for a thorough investigation and immediate action against the exploitation of students. According to the complaint, the Principal justified the exploitation by citing a lack of manpower in the cleaning department. The police have assured that they will investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

String of similar cases across Karnataka

This incident adds to a series of similar cases that have emerged in Karnataka over the past months. In December 2023, a video circulated on social media allegedly showing children in Shivamogga, the home district of Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, cleaning toilets. Speculations arose regarding the involvement of the headmaster, Shankarappa, and other educators in making students clean restrooms.

In another incident, the headmistress of a government school in Bengaluru was arrested by the Karnataka Police on December 23. She was accused of coercing students into cleaning the school’s restrooms. The distressing videos circulating on social media prompted authorities to intervene and address the issue. These incidents raise concerns about the well-being and rights of students, emphasizing the need for stringent action against such exploitation.