The Director of Public Instruction (DPI) has ordered the Thiruvananthapuram Deputy Director of Education (DDE) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into allegations that a teacher of a private school here had locked up a four-year-old boy in a kennel as punishment. The report will be submitted on Tuesday, based on which the DPI will take action that could involve the shutting down of the institution.
Education Department officials could not question the school authorities and verify their documents as the school office closed early on Monday following protests against the incident.
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Additional DPI L. Rajan told The Hindu that if the school was found to be unregistered or lacking recognition from accredited boards, it would be closed. If so, every child would be enrolled to another school in the locality without delay, he said.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights served a notice regarding the incident to the City Police Commissioner, the DPI, DDE, and Peroorkada Circle Inspector. Nazeer Chaliyan, acting Chairperson of the commission, said that details of the offence and the school’s registration had been sought. Commission authorities would inspect the school premises.
“The case will be heard in three days,” he said, adding that the commission was the monitoring authority regarding corporal punishment in schools in the State.
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Mr. Nazeer added that even if the school was accredited to a Central board, physical and mental harassment would not be tolerated.
The State government had the power to revoke the No Objection Certificate it granted to private schools, effectively closing them.