Banihal, July 6: The Chief Education Officer (CEO) of Ramban has suspended the entire staff of Government Middle School, Krawah, in Zone Banihal after a student was allegedly found locked inside the school premises for several hours, prompting the authorities to order a high-level inquiry into the incident.
According to an official order, the incident occurred on July 4 when the student was reportedly discovered locked inside the school building at around 8 pm, several hours after school had closed and just before the commencement of the summer vacation. The incident has been described as a case of prima facie gross negligence and dereliction of duty by officials responsible for the safety and supervision of students. Authorities said the lapse had the potential to endanger the child’s life and safety.
Pending the outcome of the inquiry, all employees of Government Middle School, Krawah have been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956. During the suspension period, the employees will remain attached to the same school until further orders.
The CEO has constituted a three-member inquiry committee comprising the Principal of HSS Girls Banihal as Chairperson, the Zonal Education Officer, Banihal, and the Headmaster of High School Bankoot. The panel has been directed to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, fix responsibility for the alleged lapse, and submit its report with recommendations within three days.
Meanwhile, five teachers, the Head of the Institution (HoI), two NYCs and one Physical Education Teacher (PET) have been posted to the school to ensure that academic activities continue uninterrupted. The administration said the action aims to ensure accountability and reinforce student safety across educational institutions in the district.
