Fifth-Grade Student Locked In Dark Room For Arriving Late

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala general education minister V Sivankutty on Thursday ordered a probe into the allegation that a fifth-grade student was locked in a dark room for arriving late to school.

The minister emphasised that no discrimination against children will be tolerated in any school within the state. It has come to light that the incident, where the student was reportedly locked in a dark room, took place at a school in Ernakulam.

The minister stated that neither teachers nor school management has the right to treat a child in this manner. If a child arrives late, they should be advised to avoid being late in the future. But locking a child in a dark room, which may negatively impact their mental state, is unacceptable, he said.

It is noted that the school involved does not follow the state syllabus. An urgent investigation has been ordered, and the Ernakulam Educational Sub Director has been instructed to submit a report at the earliest. Further action will be taken based on the findings of this report.

The minister said such incidents are becoming less frequent in the state due to the government's firm stance on these matters. The lack of proper training for teachers might contribute to such behaviour.

In a Facebook post, the minister said that the government would consider providing adequate training for teachers across various educational streams.