Kendrapara (Odisha): Students of a government-run school, named after Biju Patnaik, missed out classes on Thursday as Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik addressed a public meeting at the school playground.
It was like an undeclared holiday at Ramachandi Bijoyananda high school at Ramnagar village in Kendrapara district.
Over 400 boys and girls had turned up at the school premises for their classes. To their dismay, they found the school closed in view of chief minister’s meeting.
The school had turned into temporary shelter for gun totting cops in violation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, child right activists and legal experts aid.
“We were forced to suspend the classes as police forces were stationed in the campus. Besides, holding classes was not possible because of noise generated from the public meeting. We were also asked to vacate the school building for the day in view of the CM`s meeting”, Headmaster of Ramnagar Bijoyananda High School, Subhash Ghadei, said.
Though schools in the proposed Posco project site had remained closed for housing police, the force was later removed at the instance of the Orissa High Court and National Child Rights Commission.
There was disruption in classroom teaching in yet another government-run primary school as the helipad for the landing and takeoff of Chief Minister`s chopper had come up in close vicinity of the school campus.”
Kendrapara District Collector, Durga Prasad Behera, however claimed that he was unaware of the incident. “I am not aware of such misuse of school premises. It is yet to be brought to my notice. However the matter is being inquired by district schools and mass education department”, he said.
PTI
