Karnataka: Parents shift students to other school following appointment of Dalit head cook

Chamarajanagar (Karnataka), June 25 (IANS) A concerning incident has come to light from Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, where parents have allegedly withdrawn their children from a government school following the appointment of a Dalit woman as the head cook.

The incident has been reported from the Government Higher Primary School in Homma village in Chamarajanagar district. Of the 22 students enrolled, parents of 21 students have withdrawn their children, leaving only one student currently attending the school.

According to the head cook and the kitchen staff, only seven out of the 22 students used to eat the Mid-Day Meals prepared at the school.

Sources indicated that the appointment of a Dalit woman as the head cook had triggered dissatisfaction among some parents.

Reportedly, several parents unhappy with the appointment collected Transfer Certificates (TCs) for their children and admitted them to other schools. As a result, the school is now on the verge of closure, sources added.

Local residents allege that caste-based bias is the sole reason for withdrawing the children, pointing to the cook's Dalit identity.

In the academic year 2024–25, the school initially had 22 students. Of these, 12 have already taken TCs, and withdrawal applications have been submitted for the remaining students. With no students left, the school now faces imminent closure, sources said.

Currently, the school has just one student attending the classes and two teachers. The parents of the remaining student have also requested a TC to transfer their child elsewhere, according to sources.

After the development went viral on social media, the district administration rushed to the school on Wednesday and held a series of meetings with teachers and parents. Officials from the Education Department and the Department of Social Welfare also visited the Homma village school.

Chamarajanagar SP, B.T. Kavitha, Zilla Panchayat CEO Mona Roat, and DDPI Ramachandra Raje Urs personally spoke to parents and teachers regarding the development.

Parents told CEO Roat that they had withdrawn their children due to the poor quality of teaching at the school.

However, the team of officials managed to convince the parents of eight children to re-enroll them in the school.

SP Kavitha stated that a comprehensive investigation will be undertaken to determine why the children were not consuming meals at the school.

"If it is found that untouchability was practiced and a complaint is lodged, strict action will be taken against those responsible," she said.

Roat noted that the preliminary report suggested the students were withdrawn due to poor education quality, but new claims have emerged.

“We are receiving conflicting reports regarding the students' transfer. We have assured the parents that qualified teachers will be posted at the school and action will be taken wherever necessary,” she said.

--IANS

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