A video that surfaced on Wednesday, October 22, showing four students from Panchayat Union Middle School (PUMS) in Vanichampatti, Tharamangalam block, Salem, engaged in manual labour on the school campus, prompted authorities to launch an inquiry.

The students were seen using spades and pans to dig soil and fill pits, addressing damage caused by recent rains that had made parts of the campus difficult to navigate.

Alleged involvement of school staff

According to sources, the headmaster and part-time teachers instructed the students last Friday to undertake the task of filling pits with soil. The students reportedly worked for over an hour, and a passerby recorded the incident, with the video subsequently spreading on social media.

A parent, speaking anonymously to TNIE, raised serious concerns about the incident, stating, “Despite the School Education Department repeatedly directing headmasters not to involve students in such work, it continues because officials fail to take strict action against those responsible. On this matter, departmental action should be taken against the concerned.” The parent highlighted that involving students in such physical tasks poses safety risks and violates children's rights.

Tharamangalam District Educational Officer (Primary) K A Thangarasu confirmed that an inquiry was initiated with the school headmaster and students on Wednesday.