Sixth grader locked inside classroom
A deeply distressing and alarming incident occurred at the Government Girls Middle School in Gujar Khan, where a sixth-grade student was locked inside a classroom after school hours.
The school was closed, and teachers and the watchman had left for their homes, leaving the student either inadvertently locked inside or confined in the classroom. When the girl did not return home, her parents began searching for her. Upon raising an alarm, loud cries of the child were heard coming from inside the school.
The school was then opened on an emergency basis by calling the watchman, and the student was recovered from the classroom. She was found extremely frightened, shaken, and drenched in sweat. She was later taken home by her parents.
Following strong protests by the parents and local residents, the Chief Executive Officer of the District Education Authority (DEA) Rawalpindi, Yasin Baloch, took strict notice of the incident. The school watchman, Wajid Hussain, was suspended, and an inquiry has been ordered under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act.
The CEO directed the District Education Officer (Women Wing) to immediately conduct an inquiry and submit a report. The incident has caused concern among parents and teachers alike, raising questions about how the student was left alone in the school and why she did not leave with her classmates after school hours.
According to the school administration, the incident occurred due to the negligence of the watchman, who failed to properly check and monitor the premises before locking the school. It stated that the watchman did not fulfill his responsibilities, creating a potentially serious risk to the student's safety.
The relevant female education officer has been instructed to take necessary action against the employee under the rules and ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future.
Authorities have been directed to submit the inquiry report to the District Education Authority office as soon as possible.