Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Sep 12: A controversy borne out of closing the school early to enable holding of cockfight in the school ground, has culminated in the suspension of the headmistress, and resultant resistance to the move by the school management.

Vanita, headmistress of government primary school in Delantabettu, Shibarur near Suratkal, has been reportedly suspended by the department, and that the suspension order was not delivered to the teacher on Saturday and Sunday because of week end.

The issue of declaring part holiday for school for allowing cockfight in the school ground recently was widely reported in the media. After the incident received lot of flak, the commissioner of the department of education is understood to have instructed district level officials here to take action.

Deputy director of public instruction, Moses Jayashekhar, said that Mangalore block education officer, Rajalakshmi, visited the school, and issued suspension orders after holding inquiry into the incident.

The above school stands in a ground that is owned by a local Daivasthana. During the annual festivals of Daivasthana, of which cockfight is an integral part, the custom of organizing this event in the school ground has been going on since long. On September 7, the headmistress had allowed the children to go home during physical training period at 3.30 pm, to accommodate cockfight. It is said that the school development and monitoring committee office bearers had brought pressure on he headmistress to do so.

SDMC president, Bhuvanesh Acharya, said that the committee cannot tolerate the suspension of the headmistress on flimsy grounds. He said he is prepared to lead an agitation with the support of local people against this unjust action.