KOZHIKODE: Once again, a strong resistance by the protection committee stopped the assistant education officer from implementing the Supreme Court order to close down Malaparamba Aided Upper Primary School on Tuesday. Officials said they were yet to receive a directive from the directorate of public instructions.
The protesters who thronged the school since 9 am were dispersed after an assurance that the government would take over the school and the decision will be taken at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Based on the government order, district collector N. Prasanth submitted a detailed report on the present financial liabilities of the school.
Amidst confusion over the AEO implementing the SC direction and the government’s stand on protecting the school, Pradeep Kumar MLA stood firm with his decision to support the protesters.
“The school manager with the help of the previous government has tried to plug all loopholes for us to save the institution from being killed by people with vested interests,” he said. “If the Cabinet decides to take over the school without any state fund, in just two years I will raise the school to international standards with the help of kind-hearted people in Kozhikode,” he said.
The Cabinet will also decide on shifting classes to additional district magistrate‘s (ADM) bungalow for the time being. The SC had sought a report on Wednesday after completing the formalities of closure, based on which the school protection committee expected education officers to arrive on the campus and complete the procedures.
A vacation bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitav Roy dismissed an appeal filed by the Kerala Government against the High Court order observing that the Government was given enough time to initiate necessary procedures for the closure.
The apex court rejected the Government’s argument that the closure will affect the future of 60 students and that the move will violate The Right to Education.
