Forced to walk to school, teacher suffers miscarriage, files complaint

LUDHIANA: Forced to walk for kilometres to reach her school due to poor road connectivity, an education volunteer, who worked as a teacher in Jagraon, suffered a miscarriage on Friday, following which she wrote a complaint against local education officials for transfering her to that institution.
On Saturday, Alternative Innovative Education (AIE) volunteer Vaneeta, 32, lodged a complaint with education minister Aruna Chaudhary; secretary education, Punjab, Krishan Kumar; and the ministry of woman and child welfare, demanding action against officials of the district education department.

Earlier, Vaneeta taught in Government Primary School, Mandi. In February, the local education department transferred her to Government Primary Central Girl School which was 3km away from Mandi school. Since she was pregnant for two months, doctors recommended her bed rest.

Thereafter, she approached the block primary education officer (BPEO), central master trainer (CMT), block master trainer (BMT) requesting them to stop her transfer, but to no avail. She also approached the district education officer (elementary) and deputy district education officer (elementary), but got no response.

Vaneeta said, "I approached all officials, but they did not listen to my pleas." "When the officials did not listen, I joined duty. The first day I got an auto-rickshaw to reach the school, but the bumpy ride left me in severe pain. On days, I did not even get even an auto-rickshaw and I had to walk for three kms to reach the school," she added.

"I lost my baby all due to the physical and mental stress. All officials of the district education department, whom I had approached, are responsible for my miscarriage," said Vaneeta.

The teacher and her husband have also submitted a complaint with the teacher union and Navchetana Bal Bhalai Committee, an organisation of local government teachers. The organisation has further taken up the complaint with the education minister.

Vaneeta's husband Harbhajan Singh, a farmer, said, "All officials used to keep us waiting for hours at offices. Their behaviour was so inhuman towards my wife. We want action against them."

Education minister Aruna Chaudhary said, "The matter has come to my notice and I am personally looking into it."