KOZHIKODE: Manojkumar C, the Deputy Director of Education (DDE) in Kozhikode, has forwarded the report filed by the Kunnummal assistant educational officer (AEO) on the religious ritual conducted in an aided school in the district to General Education Minister V Sivankutty and the department director.
The DDE has also sought an explanation from Aruna, the manager of Nadumannur LP School who allegedly conducted the ‘Ganapathy homam’ on the campus on Tuesday. Meanwhile, it has been decided to reopen the school on Saturday.
The report filed by Kunnummal AEO Abdhul Khader K on Wednesday had said the ‘controversial’ incident at the school, situated in Kayakkodi panchayat, revealed a failure on the part of its management. The report also said Aruna organised the event without the knowledge of the headmistress and continued it in defiance of the head teacher’s instructions.
“On Thursday, school manager Aruna was asked to furnish an explanation, either by appearing at the DDE office or via mail, within a week. A call on further course of action will be taken based on the statement,” said Manojkumar. A meeting convened under the leadership of the Kunnummal AEO with the school management, PTA members and teachers on Thursday decided to reopen the school on Saturday.
“The meeting of the school’s general body decided to resume academic activities, suspended since Wednesday, on February 17. Though Saturdays are holidays, we decided to hold classes on the day as the school was closed since Wednesday,” said Sajitha, the headmistress. She said a panchayat-level all-party meeting has been called on Friday.
On Tuesday night, residents and local CPM workers launched a protest after learning about the pooja being held in the school building. The Thottilpalam police had then taken the organisers of the pooja into custody and released them later.
Aruna told TNIE that they held the ‘Ganapathy homam’ in connection with the construction of a new school building. However, CPM workers alleged the manager’s family had links to the BJP and the ritual was conducted under the leadership of BJP workers. DYFI and SFI members had on Wednesday taken out protest marches to the school demanding action against the management, following which Sivankutty had sought a report from the department director.