Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has accused the government of flouting rules and abetting corruption in amending the guidelines for granting aided status to special schools for differently abled children.
In an open letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday, he said: “Two orders in connection with special schools were issued on May 15, 2015, raising suspicions about the government’s intentions. While the first order states that schools with 100 students would be granted aided status, the second one states that institutions with 50 students were eligible to be upgraded as aided schools. The minimum requirement of 100 cents of land for special schools had also been diluted, making it impossible to provide all the prescribed facilities.”
The letter said the government had capitulated to religious outfits and community organisations by deciding to make appointments to teaching and non-teaching staff through a selection committee instead of the Public Service Commission.
Mr. Achuthanandan mooted the idea of running special schools as government institutions.
