KOZHIKODE: The education department says orders of the High Court and the Kerala State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights issued almost a year back are yet to reach it.
The district education officer stated this in response to an RTI query on its failure to initiate action against a city school teacher who misused POCSO Act to trap his colleagues.
However, the other respondents, including the manager and the principal, had received the high court order of March 29, 2017.
The other respondents were director of public education, deputy director of education, the DEO and the Nallalam sub-inspector of police.
The Kozhikode DDE had already admitted that he was aware of the issue, but it took place long before he took charge and the 'action taking time' has already expired.
On October 26, 2016, the Child Rights Panel directed the education department to initiate action against the erring teacher of Pantheerankavu Higher Secondary School who was allegedly misusing the children to file fake abuse cases to settle personal scores.
When the department failed to act, the Parent Teacher Association moved the HC, which directed the DEO to hear the PTA.
Sources said the DEO office had sent a letter to the manager. However, since its contents were contradictory, it was sent for clarification which never came.
With all these developments, now the DEO office is denying the receipt of the HC order.
