The Deputy Director of Education (DDE), Kozhikode, on Monday (June 30) sought a report from the District Educational Officer (DEO) over the “holiday” granted to students in the high school section of the Government Higher Secondary School, Medical College Campus, in Kozhikode city on Monday to attend a public event held as part of the national conference of the Students Federation of India (SFI).
According to sources, the headteacher at the school reportedly gave a day off to the students and announced it in a social media group of parents and teachers. Sunil, the headteacher, told the media later that a group of SFI leaders had given a strike notice to the school authorities, and that he declared a holiday to ward off untoward incidents. He also alleged that a group of Kerala Students Union (KSU) leaders had forcibly rung the school bell to declare a holiday when a similar strike notice from them was rejected in the past. Mr. Sunil also claimed that the police authorities had asked him not to get involved in unnecessary trouble when a complaint related to the previous incident was filed.
The incident, however, kicked up a controversy as V.T. Balram, former Congress MLA, came out with a social media post criticising the school authorities. KSU functionaries, led by its Kozhikode district president V.T. Sooraj, staged a protest inside the DDE’s cabin seeking action against the school authorities. They claimed that the “holiday” granted to the students was in violation of the rules. A complaint was also lodged with the DDE, who thereafter said that an inquiry report would be sought from the DEO and action would be taken within two days. Meanwhile, the KSU activists engaged in a war of words with a group of police personnel who asked them to move out of the DDE office during the talks.
Published – June 30, 2025 07:53 pm IST
