Kozhikode: Adding fuel to the burning Plus-Two allotment issue, the government now wants the higher secondary department not to go ahead with the infrastructure verification of new Plus-Two schools and those where new batches have been allotted. The government order had laid out a condition that the higher secondary director should inspect these schools and ensure the prescribed infrastructure facilities before permitting the admission and commencement of classes. The director, on his own, has now sought a clarification about this from the government.
Officials told DC that if the verification process is not carried out, Plus-Two classes would even be conducted with makeshift arrangements. As the controversy rages, uncertainty continues on the commencement of classes in the newly- allotted higher secondary batches and schools.
Department sources told DC that the government had directed the department to begin classes in September first week. “We need at least one month for the verification process and starting classes on September 1 would be impossible. We have also been orally told not to press for verification. Let the government correct the GO and give it in writing,” a senior higher secondary department official said.
Paragraph VI laying down the conditions in the GO clearly stated that the HS director should ensure that the schools concerned have the mandatory infrastructure facilities listed out in paragraph 8 (vii) of the GO and should not permit the schools which lack such facilities to function. When contacted, Education Minister Abdu Rabb feigned ignorance about this provision. “I am not aware of the need for any such verification. These things were clarified during the application process itself. The decision to begin the classes or not is left to the HS department,” he said.
Sources in the department told DC that the HS director had sought a clarification on this issue. Even some ministers are not happy about the way things are progressing. “There is a lot of lobbying and behind-the-curtain deals that have taken place during the Plus-Two allotment. It has also fuelled factionalism in the UDF,” a senior official said.
Meanwhile, the future of hundreds of students hangs in the balance. As of now, there is no clarity about the dates of commencing the classes and also about the appointment of teachers. The admission process is also under a cloud.
NSS not intrested in +2 batches
Kottayam: NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said that the NSS management is not interested in accepting the new plus two batches and schools allocated to it due to the unavailability of students at this point of time, and the lack of clarity regarding the recruitment of teachers to the said batches and schools. Uncertainty over the salary of teachers is also a reason for the lack of interest, he told reporters at the NSS head quarters at Perunna on Friday.
Speaking to reporters he said that due to this reasons NSS is not accepting the four new schools and the nine new batches allotted to them by the government. "The availability of the students for the newly allotted schools and batches will be a problem. The students have already joined in other schools. The stipulation that a class should have at least forty students is also creating hurdles in our way to catch the students. The lack of clarity regarding the appointments of teachers is another reason which we deny the schools and the batches", Mr Nair added.
He said that NSS will accept the schools and batches in the next academic year if the government is able to bring about a clarity regarding these issues, he added.
