KOLLAM: The All-Kerala School Teachers Union (AKSTU) has demanded a departmental probe into the suicide of the principal of Government Higher Secondary School at Ashtamudi on February 2. The union alleged that principal Sreedevi, 55, ‘Anupam’, Perumpuzha in Kundara was subjected to mental torture by the parents for taking penal action against the students who misbehaved in the school.
According to the union, the Plus-One students in the school, both girls and boys, were found drunk which was questioned by the principal. She asked their parents to meet her and disclosed the incident. However, the parents’ questioned the principal over the code of conduct of the students.
“The principal’s family and a group of teachers in the school believe that she was in mental distress after the incident which provoked her to end her life in her home. The truth behind the incident should be brought out through a departmental inquiry. Also, the government should bring in a code of conduct for the parents and teachers to prevent similar issues,” Mr N. Sreekumar, general secretary of the union, told DC. It is also learnt that the teacher had no family or financial issues and had good rapport with her colleagues. The union blamed the parents for isolating teachers over such issues and putting great pressure on them. The government should conduct a study on the work load and mental pressure faced by all higher secondary principals in the state, the union urged.
