After frequent complaints of eve-teasing in a government-run co-ed school in West Bengal’s Malda district, the school authorities directed boy and girls to be present in school only on alternated days in a week.
Headmaster Rabindranath Pande claimed that the school was forced to take such a step following several complaints of eve-teasing. “It was, hence, decided that the girl students will attend school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, whil e the boys will come on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,” Pande said. “Since its implementation, operations have been smooth.”
However, the decision by the Girija Sundari Vidya Mandir in Habibpur area of Malda Sadar subdivision drew flak from the administration, which termed the move “bizarre” and called for its withdrawal. The president of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, Mahua Das, called the directive “bizarre” and said the department was not consulted.
Education Minister Partha Chatterjee ordered an inquiry. “Such a decision can never be supported. We have asked the officials to inquire into the matter and it should be immediately withdrawn,” Chatterjee said.
