State Education Minister, Jagarnath Mahto has expressed his displeasure over the declaration by some government schools in Jamtara district as a holiday on Friday. He has asked for a report in a week after investigating the matter. He clearly said that there will be a holiday in schools only on Sundays. Education Minister Jagarnath Mahato directed the District Education Officers (DEOs), District Teacher Superintendents (DSEs) and all Block Education Officers (BEOs) along with the officers associated with Block Institute Center (BRAC) and Cluster Resource Center (CRC). In violation of the government order, more than 100 schools of Jamtara are giving leave on Friday instead of Sunday. The minister has summoned the report within a week and has assured action after the investigation.
The Education Minister also said that the order of the department will be run in all government schools, so that no particular person will run nor the pressure of the villagers will work. In all government schools, only government rules will be valid and the order issued by the department will be ensured to be followed.
Students of 100 primary schools in Karmatand, Narayanpur and Jamtara blocks in Jamtara district of Jharkhand are being given holidays on Fridays instead of Sundays, citing the Muslim population in such schools. About 70 per cent of the students in these schools belong to Muslim community.
Sources said that the diet chart board, which has been put up for providing lunch in various schools of Jamtara, has also given the list of food for different days. It has also been written in this board that there will be a holiday in the school on the day of Jumma.
Recently, similar attempts were made in Garhwa to impose Sharia and Islamic practices on minor school children by changing the traditional school prayer pattern and forcing children to not join hands during the prayer, but after the intervention of district administration, it was restored after four months.
According to some of the teachers posted in those schools, despite making written complaints to Block Development Officer (BDO), District Education Officer (DEO) and Deputy Commissioner, no action was taken and hence they had to stick to the arrangement made by the locals.