ALAPPUZHA: The district education officer (DEO), Cherthala, has recommended action against a few government and aided schools which had collected cash for issuing transfer certificates to students of class IX and X. This follows a report published by DC on June 21 revealing four such cases in three schools under Cherthala DEO. They had collected cash for TC, including from a student of Cherthala south HSS, who had passed SSLC examination with A-plus for all subjects.
The DEO conducted an inquiry into the matter and submitted a report to the deputy director (education) suggesting action against the schools. The director of public instruction had asked the deputy director (education) to conduct the inquiry based on the DC report. The schools had violated the DPI order issued on June 4 clarifying that no students from class IX and X should be asked to pay fee for issuance of any certificate without the consent of the DPI.
The students in many schools in Alappuzha, including Areeparambu HS, Cherthala South HS, Kandamagalam HS an Arthungal HS had paid between Rs 150 and Rs 250 for getting TC. Mr V. Asokan, deputy director (education), here said that the report would be soon sent to the DPI. “Our office has received the inquiry report and it is being vetted by the section concerned. The action has to be taken by the DPI,” he told DC.
Earlier, the headmistress of Kandamangalam HS had admitted to DC that they had collected at least '250 per head for setting up CC cameras inside the school as per the decision taken by the Parent-Teachers’ Association. A source in DD office said that the schools had collected money in the name of welfare. “It took a month to conclude the investigation. The report has been submitted to the DD office which will hand it over to the DPI at the earliest,” the source said.
