Take 'well-disciplined students' to Nava Kerala Sadas, Tirurangadi DEO directs schools

Malappuram: Giving credence to the opposition's allegation that the government machinery is using all its power to make the event a success, Tirurangadi District Education Officer has asked the school authorities to take 'well-disciplined students' to the venues of Nava Kerala Sadas.

An instruction regarding this was given during a meeting of head teachers and the DEO at Parappanagadi here on Tuesday, said people who were part of the discussion.

Two hundred students should be taken to the Nava Kerala Sadas held in Tanur constituency while 100 students each for Tirurangadi and Vengara constituencies, the schools were told. Teachers have been asked to reach respective venues to control the students, sources said.

When the head teachers raised objections including the difficulty in obtaining permission from parents for taking the students to a state government event, the DEO asked them to obtain permission themselves, attendees said.

The head teachers also have to make necessary arrangements for the transportation of the students. If necessary, a local holiday will be declared for schools in each constituency, DEO told the meeting.

It is alleged that the instruction has been given to increase the number of participants in the LDF government's programme.

Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty condemned the order and said that no one should be forced to attend the programme."Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had set a model in Kerala by holding a mass contact programme. He never asked his party men to bring people to the event. People attended the event seeking solutions for their grievances," he added.

Meanwhile, the DEO's instruction is likely to trigger a fresh controversy as an order issued by the Director of General Education asking to release school buses for Nava Kerala Sadas already made headlines. Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed the education department's order after a parent of a Class 9 student from Kasaragod filed a plea citing permit violation of school buses.