“No entry to school for media” decision not taken at State level: Minister
“No entry to school for media” decision not taken at State level: Minister
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Bhubaneswar: Samir Ranjan Dash, the minister of education for schools and mass media in the state of Odisha, made it clear on Monday that his office has not issued any directives prohibiting journalists from entering classrooms.
The minister's clarification came a day after a massive controversy broke up as a result of a directive sent to headmasters of schools by a Block Education Officer (BEO) in Odisha's Dhenkanal urging them to report any instances of unapproved admission of journalists to the police.
The School and Mass Education Department has not issued any such orders. The function of journalists is crucial. They assist in bringing up numerous aspects of schools... Positives, negatives, and areas that require work. I've always had the backing of media as an Odisha minister working to enhance the educational system. No order prohibiting their admission into schools has been issued, according to Dash.
The minister acknowledged that he was aware of the BEO's order and made it clear that it had been made in response to a local occurrence. He promised that his department will look into the situation and take the necessary action.
In his directive, the Kankadahad BEO instructed headmasters to forbid journalists from entering schools and classrooms without permission and to notify the police if they do so.
"It is deeply regrettable that some media personnel entered a classroom and school grounds without first obtaining authorization from the relevant authorities... The BEO informed the headmasters that this was both unethical and acceptable.
After receiving a directive in this respect from the Dhenkanal District Education Officer, the BEO issued an order (DEO).
The action was taken in response to a recent event in which some teachers and kids struggled to provide clear responses when questioned by media.
