KOZHIKODE: Serious allegations have been raised against the management of the Thamarassery diocese following the suicide of Aleena Benny, a teacher at Kodenchery St Joseph LP School. Aleena’s father, Benny, accused the diocese of withholding her salary and failing to submit necessary documents for her official appointment, leaving her in financial distress.
Aleena had struggled for years to secure a permanent teaching position. She was first appointed to Holy Family LP School, Kattippara, under the diocese’s management, temporarily. However, she lost her job when the original teacher returned from leave. Despite approaching the Director of General Education, she found no resolution.
The church committee later facilitated her appointment at Kodenchery St Joseph LP School, but Benny claims the diocese declared her ineligible for job benefits. She had been working at the school for the past year after spending five years at Holy Family.
Benny said the management failed to submit her documents to the government, blocking her appointment. He also alleged that the Thamarassery Diocese’s Corporate Education Agency officials said some teachers had even gone nine years without a salary.
Fr Joseph Varghese, manager of the Thamarassery Diocese’s Corporate Educational Agency, said Aleena’s application for a recognition for permanent vacancy has been pending due to technical issues. Expressing grief over the demise of the teacher, he said the campaign unleashed by some vested interests is baseless.
“The application for permanent appoint for Aleena Benny was given to Thamarassery AEO in 2021. But Aleena did not get the appointment due to technical issues, including reservation for the differently-abled,” he said, adding that the management didn’t accept any contribution for the appointment.
The Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of Aleena’s suicide. Judicial member K Baijunath directed the Director of General Education to submit a report within two weeks.
The Kerala School Teachers Association has demanded a thorough probe into the death. It has called for a probe into financial transactions related to teacher appointments and urged stricter regulations to ensure transparency.
Aleena’s body was found hanging at her house at Kattippara in Kozhikode on Wednesday.