Private school lands in trouble over special uniform 

A self-financing school in the district has courted controversy by introducing a different uniform for a certain section of students.

MALAPPURAM: A self-financing school in the district has courted controversy by introducing a different uniform for a certain section of students. Thirty-two students of Al Farooque English Medium School at Pandikkad were told to follow a different dress code and it snowballed into a controversy. It became an issue when the Child Line intervened after students complained they felt discriminated against while following the new system. After holding a survey among the students, Child Line told the school authorities last month to withdraw the system.

“We initiated a survey in the school and we found most of the students were unhappy with the new system,” Child Line counsellor Mohammed Rashid told Express. “And we demanded an appropriate action from the school.” Thrice, a four-member group led by Rashid visited the school having 800 students. On Thursday, during the last visit, the team found the school was still following the same system.  
“We met school authorities and conveyed the dissent of the students. But, the authorities justified their action,” he said. When they approached the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) and the district Child Welfare Committee, the school authorities were forced to withdraw the new system.  Meanwhile, school principal Abdul Kareem said the new system was launched as part of forming a prefect group to monitor cyber crimes and other discipline breaches. “Students were selected on the basis of their academic and cocurricular activities and discipline. The intention was very positive and we received no complaints from students and parents,” the principal said.The Child Rights Commission has registered a case and sought a report from the school principal, Deputy Director of Education and district Child Protection Officer. 

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