Students of Malur Morarji school were forced to pay Rs 500 for temple, resthouse

KOLAR: After the incident where children were made to clean a septic tank at the Morarji Desai Residential School at Yeluvalli in Malur taluk, it has now come to light that the school authorities had forcibly taken Rs 500 from each student towards construction of a temple and a resthouse for parents of the students, being constructed on the campus.

Social Welfare Department Assistant Director Shivakumar has lodged a complaint regarding this with the Masti police. Also, though there is accommodation for 13 staffers, only three stay in the school, raising questions about the safety of girl children, especially in the light of complaints about filming of girl students coming to light.

After the septic tank cleaning incident came to light, several ministers, MPs, MLAs and opposition leader R Ashoka, apart from officials, paid a visit to the school. The principal and the teacher have since been arrested while the police are on the lookout for others involved in the case.

After groupism among the previous principal and teachers over the issue of commission came to light, the principal, warden, assistant teachers and some other staff were replaced. However, other instances of corruption have kept coming to light one after the other.

The school has 240 students and instead of purchasing 20 litres of milk every day, only four litres are apparently being purchased while fake bills are created. Also, instead of providing non-vegetarian food once every week to the students, it is being given once every fortnight, it is alleged.

Parents of the children have also complained that rotten eggs are given and that the sambar has no vegetables in it. District in-charge minister Byrathi Suresh had even acknowledged that Rs 25,000 was released to the school towards maintenance, but now there are questions about the utility of the funds.