KOCHI: Even as the state government is doing its best to promote general education, a lower primary school in Kakkanad is facing the threat of closure. But ironically, the M A Aboobacker Memorial Panchayat LP School, with 171 students, is not under threat due to a drop in admissions, but because of a move to give its building and land to set up a Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) school.
Began by the panchayat as an aided school, it now functions as a government school under the general education department. “It was set up in 1958 as Nava Keralam Panchayat LP School and functioned out of a small building on the civil station premises,” said parent teachers association (PTA) president Rajesh Babu. The school was shifted to its present location later and renamed after former panchayat president M A Aboobacker.
“Till 2010, the school was maintained and run by the panchayat. However, in 2010, a government order realigned all panchayat schools under the general education department. Our school too became a government school back then,” said Rajesh Babu, adding the school is located in a prime spot.
“The students who study here are not from a financially sound background. I am a carpenter. People like me can only afford to send our kids to government schools. The school also caters to the children of migrant labourers,” he said.
The parents have raised concerns about the district administration’s decision to hand over the building and land. “The school is under the general education department. So how come the district administration is taking decisions?” asked a parent. Rajesh says they were told about an order passed around 12 years ago regarding the setting up of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kakkanad.
“The government had also earmarked more than two acres of land for it. Officials say that land is marshy and it would take years to finish the construction of the KV school building. So, they want to use our building or set up another building on our school premises,” said Rajesh.
“Where will our kids go? The district administration says the kids will be absorbed into the KV. But that will work only for the students in the primary section. What about the next generation of students? Don’t they need a place to study? We also know only 5%seats in KVs are allotted to those without ties to central government offices,” he added. The parents have approached the court. “We made such a move after our pleas fell on deaf ears. We have to safeguard our kids’ right to education,” said Rajesh.
The PTA also pointed out that the promise of absorbing kids into KVs has been hardly kept in most cases.
District Collector Jaffar Malik, however, said the state government’s decision regarding it is yet to arrive. “We will ensure that the children get to continue their education,” he said.