CHENNAI: The school education department has instructed chief educational officers (CEOs) across Tamil Nadu to ensure that government school premises are not used for political activities or programmes unrelated to education. The department circular, which also reiterated a ban on unauthorised entry on campus, comes against the backdrop of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)’s nation-wide campaign to assess facilities in government schools.
In the circular issued last month, the department mentioned the ‘Let Us Reform the Schools’ initiative, possibly referring to the ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign launched by the CJP in August.
As part of the campaign, visits may happen to government schools in Tamil Nadu to assess infrastructure and other facilities, collect details through prescribed forms, record videos and upload them, the circular added.
Reiterating instructions issued in July and September this year, the circular directed schools to monitor visitors closely and ensure that no one enters the premises without prior permission.
On the circular, the headmaster of a government higher secondary school in Salem said, “It was issued on October 23, but it is yet to be officially communicated to government schools. We are also not in favour of unauthorised persons visiting schools. Many headmasters, however, may not be aware of the instructions and could permit such visits. We have come across the circular in WhatsApp groups only now; our school has not received it through email yet.”
When asked, school education officials told TNIE that they would look into the reasons for the circular not reaching schools yet.
Dept circular comes in wake of CJP campaign
The school education department circular, which also barred political activity on campus, comes against the backdrop of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)’s nation-wide campaign to assess facilities in government schools.
