Various associations of private schools in Tamil Nadu called for a one-day shut down of schools on Monday, condemning Sunday’s violence and vandalisation of property at a private school in Kallakurichi, where a Class XII girl was found dead on Wednesday.
Till late Sunday night, officials from the School Education Department did not comment on the strike call from the associations. As a result, ambiguity prevailed on whether private schools would remain closed on Monday or whether action would be initiated against them if they shut down their campuses.
D.C. Elangovan, general secretary, Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu (FAPSIT), alleged that “anti-social elements” set fire to the private school vehicles, and the certificates of students and teachers. “We cannot accept the violence. The safety of students and teachers in the schools has become a question mark now,” Mr. Elangovan said in Dharmapuri.
“Condemning the attack, and to urge the government to take action against the people involved in the violence, all the teachers and staff of private schools in the State will wear black badges and submit a petition to the respective Collectors on Monday. Further, all private schools in the State will not function on Monday,” he said.
The Federation representatives will meet the School Education Minister, DGP, and Home Secretary. “After that we will announce whether to continue our protest (indefinite closure of schools) or not,” Mr. Elangovan said. The Tamil Nadu Nursery Primary Matric Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Associations too called for schools to be shut for a day to condemn the violence, and damage to property due to the protest.
K.R. Nandhakumar, state general secretary, referred to the violence and said: “This is a very unsafe atmosphere and there seems to be no protection for over 20,000 schools in the State.”
An office-bearer of the association said schools would compensate for the closure, on a another day.
