I: School Education authorities have directed the Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) and the Inspectors of Matriculation Schools to immediately direct private schools to remove certain pages of an LKG-term 2 book that contained incorrect pictures for illustration of letters of the English alphabet.
A copy of an order from the Director of School Education (DSE) to all CEOs and the Inspectors of Matriculation Schools was produced before the First Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising the Acting Chief Justice, Satish K. Agnihotri, and Justice M.M. Sundresh, when a writ petition came up for hearing on Wednesday.
The petitioner, G. Purachi Suresh of Vadamadurai in Tiruvallur district, said the illustration of ‘Sun’ for the letter ‘S’ showed a resemblance to a political leader in Tamil Nadu.
In the Tamil portion of the book, there was a wrong depiction of the “sun rising between two hills” below the picture of a house.
The DSE’s order contained more interesting information. The Director said some schools were prescribing textbooks that had not been approved by the State Common Board of School Education, the academic authority of the Tamil Nadu government. The book in question was not approved by the Board.
The official also directed all CEOs to immediately instruct all private schools not to use the books that had not been approved by the Board, including the book in question, ‘Woodpecker’s Little Nest LKG Term-2.’
