A government school in the Yelahanka locality in Bengaluru is in trouble after teachers were accused of asking students to clean school toilets, even after the Karnataka Education Department issued instructions prohibiting the practice.
According to the IANS, the incident has been lodged a complaint by the social activist Beltur Paramesh with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the Education Department. He has also filed video evidence that he claims shows students cleaning the school grounds. Paramesh is demanding disciplinary action against the teacher and headmistress.
This is not an isolated incident. In January, two teachers from a government higher primary school in Begur, southeast Bengaluru, were suspended for allegedly compelling students to clean toilets in the school. Sakamma, the headmistress and Sumitramma, the physical training teacher, were booked by the Department under the Juvenile Justice Act on a complaint by social worker Nagesh from Seshadripuram.
Earlier, on March 26, 2025, the Karnataka Education Department issued a circular that said that if any student cleaned of toilets, FIRs would be filed against that teacher or school staff. It said that past warnings had been issued and violators would now be dealt with strictly.
The abuse of child rights in schools must be addressed, as it keeps resurfacing. The authorities are being pressed to ensure they comply with the laws intended to protect students from exploitation and to uphold their dignity. The Education Department has pledged to aggressively discipline any staff member found to have violated those orders.
With investigations already in progress, it perhaps all comes down to writing policies that aim to protect student health and prevent it from happening ever again.
