Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 2: The government Muslim Residential School in Tokkottu, which had attracted statewide attention, after its students had fallen ill due to the consumption of contaminated water a few months back, has emerged as a hub of problems with undying spirit yet again. 137 students of the school, who have to struggle with water shortage, improper toilets, food etc., have not come back to school after the Bakrid holidays.

Under the banner of The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India (SFI), parents of these students went to the office of the district social welfare officer here on Monday November 30, under the leadership of Parents and Teachers Association president, C K Adam and DYFI district secretary, Jeevanram Kuttar, demanding for the immediate transfer of the headmistress of the school, Shahida Banu, who they said, has not been taking any interest in the school’s development after she came here on transfer from Srirangapatna five years ago.

During the last one year, the school was shifted from Kotekar to Natekal and then to Tokkottu. Although a monthly rent of Rs 1.25 lac is being paid by the government for the present premises, the premises lack basic amenities, the main problems being shortage of drinking water and lack of hygiene, they complained. The officer reportedly responded to the demand by asking the headmistress to proceed on leave and handing over charge of the school to another teacher.

After the said school was shifted to Natekal, the students had fallen ill, due to the consumption of polluted water. From August 1 this year, the school has been functioning in a private building. Several students had left school after suffering from the ill-affects of drinking polluted water, and 137 students have stopped coming to the school now. The parents were adamant that they would not send their children to school as far as the earlier headmistress worked there. SFI district president, Prashant Achar, and secretary, Jeevaraj Kuttar, alleged that MLA, U T Khader, who is in charge of the school, has not taken interest in solving the school’s problems. 

C K Adam said that the residential school does not have proper water supply nor it has any play ground. The headmistress neither convenes the Parents and Teachers Association meetings, nor receives phone calls, he said. He announced that the absentee children will start attending the school from December 2 onwards.

The headmistress said that the owner of the building had given a written undertaking to supply water continuously. “I have been working for the development of the school. Will my transfer solve the water problem? The plan to transfer me is being hatched because I did not dance to the tunes of the PTA,” headmistress, Shahida Banu said.

MLA U T Khader claimed that the social welfare department had not informed him that the school had been shifted from Natekal to Tokkottu. He said, he realized the problems of the inmates of the school, after visiting the building last week, and promised to  recommend suitable action against the guilty, after a thorough investigation. He disclosed that the school has five acres of land for constructing its own building, but the matter is pending as some people have challenged the ownership in court. He expressed the hope that he would be able to convince the concerned to withdraw the land litigation to enable the school to have its own building soon. “I will speak to Ullal municipality and set right water supply problem. In the meanwhile, I request the parents to send their children to school,” he added.