In a bizarre incident, seven students of a government primary school at Tirumale in Magadi taluk of Ramanagaram district inflicted wounds on their wrists with the help of drawing compasses opposing the transfer of their favourite teacher by the education department. Curiously, upon learning that their wards had resorted to such form of protest against the transfer of a teacher, some parents too staged a dharna near the school.
The teacher, Mrs A. Ramani, was teaching mathematics to students of Classes 5, 6 and 7 for the last 10 years. The education department, however, made it clear that the transfer was inevitable as there was a shortage of students in that school. Teachers are deputed based on a student–teacher ratio, they said.
According to the education department officials, all the seven students who inflicted wounds on themselves are studying in Class 7. As the student strength in the school is less, Mrs A. Ramani was transferred after counseling. Block Education Officer Mr Rangaswamy said that all the injured students were administered medical aid. “We are looking into the demands of the students. But the transfer was made with the consent of the school authorities as there were not enough students,” he said.