Dalit students ‘discriminated’

Dalit students ‘discriminated’

MORANG, JUL 29 -

Bishal Marik, a Dalit boy and third grader at the Public Higher Secondary School in Rangeli in the district, said he dropped out of the school recently after he was allegedly discriminated against by his teachers.

“Teachers do not even touch our textbooks and copies. They ask us to sit at the back of the classroom,” he said.

Like Bishal, more than 12 children from the community, studying in grade one to five, quit their studies midway due to alleged discrimination against them in the school. “We frequently urged the principal and chairman of the school management committee to stop such discriminatory practices. However, the teachers’ behaviour did not improve,” said Bilaruwa Marik, whose son Ramesh also quit studies.

Principal Birendra Prasad Sah said he was uninformed about such discrimination. “I will look into the matter after the school resumes,” he said. The school is closed for the summer vacation.